Nowadays, many food and dietary products are adulterated with various chemical and non-chemical additives to increase profits. Prior to the founding of JAHARI, no single, international organization existed to provide a Halal "stamp of approval" that certifies the ingredient authenticity of a consumable product, therefore giving confidence and peace of mind to consumers of that product. With the founding of JAHARI, Japan, which already is recognized as a trusted leader in advanced technology and the production of safe, high-quality products, has the opportunity to become a global player in Halal science and technology. Japan's involvement could lead to improving the quality of life for Muslims around the world.

The Japan Halal Research Institute for Products and Hospitality Services (JAHARI) is a non-profit organization, established with the aim of helping Japanese Halal businesses become competitive and globally recognized as leaders in the implementation of advanced Halal-related science and technology. JAHARI has built a global network of experts in various aspects of Halal who will work together to develop an approach based on state-of-the-art science and technology for innovation in Halal products and hospitality services and confirmation of Halal authenticity.

As a first step, we have identified two priority research projects to be conducted together with our international collaborating institutions. The first is to investigate the practical meaning of "Halal" in the context of a technologically advanced and secular nation like Japan and to identify the major gaps between Japan and nations in which Halal is strictly regulated by the government. The second is to identify advanced science and technologies already available in Japan that potentially could be used to develop and produce customer-driven and sustainable Halal products and services for a worldwide market. We believe these projects, which to the best of our knowledge are unique, are critical to determine Japan's strengths and weaknesses in regard to Halal before JAHARI can effectively fulfill its aim.

JAHARI is committed to working hard to make significant contributions that will allow Japan to become a trusted, global leader in the development of Halal products and hospitality services, which, in turn, can be used help develop Halal businesses worldwide.Quamrul Hasan, Ph.D. (Kyoto University, Japan) Chairman, JAHARI Board of Directors

November 2015

Quamrul Hasan, Ph.D. (Kyoto University, Japan)

Chairman, JAHARI Board of Directors