The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry aims to establish a new group, comprising members from industry, academia and the government, to encourage the public to reduce their salt intake.
The new entity, which will be established as early as autumn, will work with food makers and retailers on food development and display methods, so consumers will be able to reduce their sodium intake without being seriously affected.
Excessive salt in the diet is thought to increase the risk of having a stroke or heart attack, so by promoting a low sodium diet, the ministry aims to increase life expectancy.
According to the ministry, the daily average amount of salt consumed by a Japanese person is 10.1 grams, which is more than double the recommended amount by the World Health Organization of less than five grams. The daily average consumed in Japan is also higher than the amount consumed in the United States and European countries.
In another government survey, more than half the people in Japan who were deemed to have high salt intake replied that they did not intend to change their diet. As a result, the ministry focused on the amount of salt used in bento boxed meals and deli products to create an environment in which the public would be able to have a low sodium diet without giving it much thought.
The new group is expected to include companies that produce seasonings and noodles, convenience store chains that sell bento boxed meals and deli products, and supermarket chains. It will work together to develop products that contain less salt, as well as marketing strategies using such methods as not having food makers advertise the product's low sodium content or having retailers place low sodium products in more prominent locations.
Nutritionists and researchers of consumer behavior will also be included in the group. Nutritionists will give advice on how to make the foods flavorful while using less salt, and consumer behavior researchers will advise retailers on how best to display the products.
Each company will set its own goals for reducing salt content and sales for low sodium foods, and then post their progress on a government website.
The switch to a low sodium diet has also been occurring overseas.
In Britain, the government and food makers have worked together since 2003 to reduce the amount of salt in bread and other foods. It is believed that it has resulted in fewer people dying from heart disease or stroke.
"Because the Japanese diet includes a wide variety of foods, it is important for those in the food industry to work together to reduce salt in various products," said Takuya Tsuchihashi, director of Steel Memorial Yawata Hospital. "As 'healthy' foods tend to be more costly, there needs to be a business environment in which companies focusing on such products remain competitive."
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