The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of the Environment announced on June 30 that Japan’s food loss in fiscal 2024 totalled approximately 4.61 million tonnes. Of that figure, approximately 2.24 million tonnes originated from households and approximately 2.37 million tonnes from the commercial sector.
Food loss in the previous fiscal year stood at approximately 4.64 million tonnes, meaning the overall figure fell by roughly 30,000 tonnes in fiscal 2024. Household food loss decreased from approximately 2.33 million tonnes to approximately 2.24 million tonnes, while commercial food loss rose from approximately 2.31 million tonnes to approximately 2.37 million tonnes.
Food loss refers to food that is discarded despite being fit for consumption. The Ministry of the Environment has stated that reducing food loss is a key challenge for both the transition to a circular economy and the achievement of net zero, and that it will work with relevant ministries, local governments and businesses to drive further reductions.
In Japan, efforts by the national government, local governments and businesses are being advanced under the Food Recycling Act (the Act on Promotion of Recycling and Related Activities for Treatment of Cyclical Food Resources) to promote the recycling and reuse of food-derived resources. On food loss specifically, reduction initiatives are being pursued as a national movement under the Act on Promotion of Food Loss Reduction.
According to the Ministry of the Environment, commercial food loss is estimated based on reports submitted by businesses under the Food Recycling Act, while household food loss is estimated based on surveys of municipalities.
Commercial food loss in fiscal 2024 totalled approximately 2.37 million tonnes, an increase of roughly 60,000 tonnes from the previous fiscal year. Breaking this down, food loss from the restaurant and food-service industry amounted to approximately 700,000 tonnes, up from approximately 660,000 tonnes the previous year. This is thought to reflect increased dining-out activity as demand in the sector recovered.
Over the longer term, however, food loss has been on a downward trend. From approximately 6.43 million tonnes in fiscal 2012, the figure fell to approximately 5.70 million tonnes in fiscal 2019, approximately 5.23 million tonnes in fiscal 2021, and approximately 4.64 million tonnes in fiscal 2023, reaching approximately 4.61 million tonnes in fiscal 2024.
Recent reductions are thought to reflect a relaxation of delivery deadlines in food distribution — a revision of the so-called “one-third rule” (an industry convention under which retailers refused deliveries of products that had used more than one-third of their shelf life) — as well as improvements in demand forecasting and order management by food businesses, and growing consumer awareness of food loss reduction. That said, fiscal 2024 saw diverging trends within a single year, with household food loss falling while commercial food loss rose.
Food loss reduction is also linked to international targets. Among the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), halving per-capita global food waste by 2030 is one of the stated targets.
Domestically, the Basic Policy on Promotion of Food Loss Reduction, adopted by Cabinet decision on March 25, 2025, sets targets of halving household food loss by fiscal 2030 compared with fiscal 2000 — with early achievement sought before 2030 — and reducing commercial food loss by 60% compared with fiscal 2000 by fiscal 2030.
The Ministry of the Environment maintains and updates a dedicated Food Loss Portal Site that consolidates information on food loss. The site organises information by audience — consumers, local governments and businesses — so that each group can readily access what it needs.
The Ministry of the Environment also positions food loss reduction as one of the key actions within “Deco-Katsu” (a national movement promoting new, low-carbon lifestyles). Specific initiatives include model projects aimed at reducing household food loss, support for the rollout of “mottECO” (a scheme encouraging restaurant diners to take home leftovers), and the development of guidance for creating food-waste-zero zones.
【Press release】Publication of Estimated Food Loss Generation in Japan (Fiscal 2024)
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