[UPDATE]
On May 12th, we submitted the 31,419 signatures gathered by May 10th and comments on this site to the president of Asahi Group Holdings by mail. However, we will continue this campaign until we get the answer of "BAN". Thank you for your continued cooperation in sharing and spreading.

Due to the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games scheduled for this summer have been postponed. On April 6th, Asahi Group Holdings Co., Ltd. with Asahi Breweries, one of the gold partners of Tokyo 2020, posted a policy of not conducting animal testing on its official website.

Basic stance on Asahi Group animal testing
 “We have adopted a policy that Asahi Group will not fund, conduct or commission animal tests that are not explicitly required by law in the field of food, beverages and cosmetics.”

We should be careful not to be deceived by the policy they are holding up.

JAVA met Asahi Group this February
What is the exclusion rule for ban animal testing of Asahi Group? 
When we, JAPAN ANTI-VIVISECTION ASSOCIATION (JAVA), met with the people in charge of this issue of Asahi Group on February 21th 2020, we confirmed about the “legally required” animal testing that are not subject to the ban, and they are the following three.

1. In case of public health accountability such as after market accidents.
2. In case of legally required by the system of other countries such as Novel Food of EU and GRAS of USA.
3. Various permission applications and notification to the Japanese government (FOOD AND BEVERAGE: application for permission of food for specified health uses (FOSHU)  and notification of food with function claims (FFC) to Consumer Affairs Agency, COSMETICS: request to revise cosmetics standards, application for manufacturing and marketing approval of quasi-drugs , etc.)

Should be a problem about 3.

Food for specified health uses(FOSHU) & Food with function claims(FFC)
FOSHU & FFC are the most brilliant fields in the Japanese food industry right now.
FOSHU is required to apply for permission and FFC is required to notify Consumer Affairs Agency. Animal testing are not required if eating experience and human test data are used when they develop new products. On the other hand, safety and functional data are required when they develop new products they don’t have enough eating experience and human test data.
Animal testing is legally required for safety and functional data. IT IS JUST AN OPTION.
Because of the option, it is Asahi Group’s excuse that animal testing is unavoidable.
Under the cause of “extending healthy life expectancy”, in the current food industry unnecessary animal testing is being conducted in order to add unnatural functionalities to foods, develop new products, obtain patents, and obtain profits.

Other companies stopped animal testing for FOSHU & FFC
Kikkoman, Yakult Honsha, NISSIN FOODS Group, FUJI OIL HOLDINGS and Kewpie that JAVA has so far requested to end animal testing, have proven it by corporate efforts.
But Asahi Group considers the animal testing that the above –mentioned companies could abolish as “not subject to ban”. So, Asahi Group’s “policy of not conducting animal testing” is inadequate and we cannot approve it.

Sign by May 10th!
On March 24th, JAVA issued a “request form for the termination of animal testing in the fields of food and beverage, cosmetics and daily necessities” to the president.
The deadline for replying to the request is the end of May.

Now that the coronavirus pandemic is in a serious situation, so it may seem that Asahi Group issue is not important.
However, Asahi Group will make a management decision as to whether or not to completely abolish animal testing within a month and a half.
So, the signature deadline is May 10th.

Asahi Group is a holding company with a gold partner of “Tokyo 2020”, and is drawing attention from all over the world.
Now is the time to become a cruelty free company.
Please support our campaign. We hope as many people as possible will sign the petition!

Please check our website for more details (This site is only available in Japanese).