TOKYO, Sept. 16 — Prosciutto di Parma Ham, one of Italian delicacies, has been registered in Japan’s geographical indications (GI) protection system. This is the first foreign celebrated food designated as a GI in Japan.
It becomes one of 42 agriculture products that have been registered for GI protection in Japan, according to the agriculture ministry. Japan introduced the GI system in 2015.
The move comes as a political agreement on the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) was reached in July, which includes a provision of GI.
GI is a rule that requires agriculture products to come from a particular geographical area and it must meet various quality criteria in order to be called by its name.
Once granted GI status, it allows for regional producers to monopolize the use of famous area names, and prevents other producers from selling products using the listed names or something similar.
That means Japanese ham producers are no longer able to use the name “Parma Ham” or accompanied by words such as “Parma Ham-style” on labels and product packaging in Japan.
The agriculture ministry is responsible for registering agriculture products as GI, while the National Tax Agency is in charge of registering alcoholic beverages.