Does livestock feed sold in Japan contain harmful ingredients that cause genetic mutations in the animal meat that we eat? No, that's not true: Japan's Food Safety Commission evaluates the safety of agricultural products used to feed humans and livestock, including those derived from Genetically Modified Organisms, and it follows standards set out in the Feed Safety Act to ensure all meat sold in Japan is safe for consumption and does not contain harmful, gene-altering additives.
The claim appeared on TikTok (archived here) on September 17, 2023, and it shows a video of author Hisao Munakata at the World Forum in 2017, speaking about his book, "Cancer Will Disappear From Japan in 5 Years," Munakata explains that the meat sold in Japan has been "ruined" due to GMO content in livestock feed. In a clip translated into English from Japanese by Lead Stories staff, he says:
For the past ten years, the meat that we eat--beef, pork, chicken, etc.--are being fed GMOs. Livestock eat GMO-filled corn from Monsanto, and those GMOs go on our plates as meat [...] I feel bad for our children. They're always sick because of the food we (Japan) feed them. If we stop putting GMOs in our food, we won't get sick anymore.
This is what the post looked like on TikTok at the time of writing:
(Source: TikTok screenshot taken on Tue Sep 26 04:05:14 2023 UTC)
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, all animal feed must be approved under standards set out in the "Feed Safety Act," meaning that additives and GMOs used in the production of the feed must be registered and approved. The Feed Safety Act requires inspections of feed products, and those that fail the inspection are prohibited from commercial sale and distribution in Japan.
All domestic or imported GMO crops, even those used in livestock feed, must be approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries based on the Feed Safety Act, meaning that meat derived from animals that are fed GMO crop products can only be sold if the GMOs and additives are approved in a list under the Act.
Additionally, the Council For Biotechnology Information in Japan confirms that the Food Safety Commission evaluates the safety of GMO crops for both humans and livestock, to ensure that harmful products are not distributed in Japan and meat products are safe for consumption and do not contain harmful, gene-altering additives.
