Malaysia offers to be Japan’s halal industry adviser

TOKYO: Malaysia has offered to be the adviser to Japan’s halal industry, which holds a great potential for halal products demand.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the demand for halal products was expected to increase during the 2020 Olympic Games, to be held here.

“Athletes and tourists from Islamic countries will need halal food and products during the Olympic Games in 2020,” he told Malaysian journalists at the end of a three-day working visit to Japan.

Tokyo last hosted the summer Olympic Games in 1964.

Najib said he conveyed the offer to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a meeting at the latter’s office, here.

He said he informed Abe that there was a growing interest among tourists, including from Malaysia, to visit Japan and this created a great demand for halal products.

“The halal standards of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) had high credibility and were accepted by the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations,” he said.

“Halal products here will be easily accepted if Malaysia is appointed as adviser to Japan’s halal industry,” he added.

During a visit to Japan last May, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also chairman of the Malaysian Halal Council, raised the matter of Jakim halal standards at a meeting with his counterpart Taro Aso, who is also Japan’s Minister of Finance.

A total of 54 certification bodies in 32 countries and four authorities from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation have obtained halal certification from Jakim. Bernama