JGAP Evaluated as an International Sustainability Standard
The Japan GAP Foundation confirmed a 73% alignment between its agricultural certification system JGAP (+SA) and the international sustainability benchmark, ProTerra Standard, demonstrating global ESG viability.
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- 📰 Published: April 7, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 7, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 21, 2026 at 00:27 (325h 56m after Collected)
The Japan GAP Foundation announces that it has conducted a benchmark between JGAP, the agricultural certification system it operates, and the ProTerra Standard, an international sustainability certification standard. The benchmark confirmed that JGAP standards are highly consistent with the sustainability requirements set by the ProTerra Foundation.
This result demonstrates that JGAP is a certification system that aligns not only with domestic standards in Japan but also with international sustainability standards.
In recent years, ensuring sustainability in raw material procurement has become an important issue for food and distribution companies. Therefore, a response to sustainability is also required at the agricultural production stage, and there is a growing international movement to verify these efforts through third-party certification.
Within this trend, the current benchmark shows that JGAP is a standard capable of meeting international sustainability requirements in agriculture.
## Overview of the Benchmark
A benchmark in this context is an initiative to compare the requirements of mutual standards and confirm how each standard corresponds.
This time, the ProTerra Foundation compared the requirements of JGAP (JGAP 2022) and the JGAP add-on standard +SA against the ProTerra Standard Version 5 (PT V5).
As a result, it was confirmed that the combined standards of JGAP and +SA have a 73% alignment with the requirements of ProTerra Standard V5.
Looking at specific areas based on ProTerra's criteria, high consistency was confirmed in agricultural management systems, greenhouse gas and energy management, waste management, and human rights and responsible labor policies.
On the other hand, differences due to regional conditions and institutional design, such as relations with local communities, land use, and forest conversion, were also identified.
This is because the ProTerra Standard primarily targets international agricultural supply chains such as soybeans and sugarcane, emphasizing the prevention of forest conversion, biodiversity conservation, and the non-use of genetically modified ingredients, whereas JGAP is a system based on Japan's agricultural conditions.
Considering these points, the results of this benchmark indicate that JGAP is a certification system with many commonalities with international sustainability requirements.
ProTerra Foundation 'About the benchmark with JGAP'
This result demonstrates that JGAP is a certification system that aligns not only with domestic standards in Japan but also with international sustainability standards.
In recent years, ensuring sustainability in raw material procurement has become an important issue for food and distribution companies. Therefore, a response to sustainability is also required at the agricultural production stage, and there is a growing international movement to verify these efforts through third-party certification.
Within this trend, the current benchmark shows that JGAP is a standard capable of meeting international sustainability requirements in agriculture.
## Overview of the Benchmark
A benchmark in this context is an initiative to compare the requirements of mutual standards and confirm how each standard corresponds.
This time, the ProTerra Foundation compared the requirements of JGAP (JGAP 2022) and the JGAP add-on standard +SA against the ProTerra Standard Version 5 (PT V5).
As a result, it was confirmed that the combined standards of JGAP and +SA have a 73% alignment with the requirements of ProTerra Standard V5.
Looking at specific areas based on ProTerra's criteria, high consistency was confirmed in agricultural management systems, greenhouse gas and energy management, waste management, and human rights and responsible labor policies.
On the other hand, differences due to regional conditions and institutional design, such as relations with local communities, land use, and forest conversion, were also identified.
This is because the ProTerra Standard primarily targets international agricultural supply chains such as soybeans and sugarcane, emphasizing the prevention of forest conversion, biodiversity conservation, and the non-use of genetically modified ingredients, whereas JGAP is a system based on Japan's agricultural conditions.
Considering these points, the results of this benchmark indicate that JGAP is a certification system with many commonalities with international sustainability requirements.
ProTerra Foundation 'About the benchmark with JGAP'