Japan took one step closer to total traceability this week when retailers and restaurants selling beef introduced a beef tracing system – making the coverage of Japan’s tracking system probably the widest in the world.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


From now on all beef outlets, over 30,000 of them, will have to attach a ten-digit individual identification number or cattle lot number to their produce. Consumers, most of whom carry web-enabled phones, can trace information such as the age of the animal plus where it was raised via the Internet.


Japan initially forced beef producers to list detailed data on their beef in the wake of BSE outbreaks in Japan and abroad.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact