In February 2020, Malaysia’s halal promotion agency, Halal Development Corporation (HDC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Acrosx Japan Inc to boost the exports of halal products to Japan. Acrosx Japan provides overseas expansion support and consulting services. The purpose of this partnership is to provide advisory, capacity-building and technical assistance to drive the development of the Muslim-friendly consumer segment in Japan.
As part of the collaboration, HDC and Acrosx Japan have launched Muslim-Friendly Standards to assist service-based companies in Japan such as hotels, restaurants, tourist spots, and hospitals. The Standards will be partly implemented in Japan’s national halal training that is initiated by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare under the Halal Training Expert Committee. This is in line with efforts to cater to an expected considerable influx of Muslim tourists during the 2020 Summer Olympics that is to take place in Japan in July.
The collaboration offers opportunities for Malaysian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to penetrate the Japanese halal market through the supply of halal ingredients and semi-processed products. In 2018, MYR 2.5 billion (USD 601 million) worth of halal goods was exported to Japan, 90% of which consisted of halal food products and halal ingredients.
(Sources: Halal Development Corporation, Malaysia; Malay Mail)
