Editorial policy

Last reviewed: 2026-04-26

Introduction

OEM JAPAN is a B2B sourcing platform that connects overseas brands with verified Japanese ingredient manufacturers. Our editorial integrity is the foundation of this service — buyers making sourcing decisions need to trust that the information on this site is accurate, current, and not shaped by undisclosed commercial relationships.

This policy explains how we source information, how we treat trademarks and proprietary names, what criteria we apply when listing manufacturers, how we handle conflicts of interest, and how buyers, manufacturers, and other stakeholders can request corrections or removals.

We operate as an editorial publication first and a commercial platform second. This means our content is intended to be useful and accurate for buyers regardless of any commercial relationship with the manufacturers being described. When commercial considerations could plausibly affect our coverage, we disclose them explicitly here and on the affected pages.

This policy applies to all content under /en/glossary, /en/sourcing, /en/regulation, and /en/tokyo-shelf-report.

Information sources

When researching ingredients, manufacturers, and regulations, we apply the following priority order:

  1. Peer-reviewed academic literature — PMC, PubMed, J-STAGE, Web of Science.
  2. Government and regulatory agencies — Japan: 厚生労働省 (MHLW), 食品安全委員会 (FSCJ), 消費者庁 (CAA), 農林水産省 (MAFF), 経済産業省 (METI), PMDA, JETRO. International: FDA, EFSA, NMPA, KFDA, EU Commission DG SANTE.
  3. Industry trade associations — JCIA (Japan Cosmetic Industry Association), JSCI (Japanese Society of Cosmetic Ingredients), 日本醸造協会 (Brewing Society of Japan), JNKA (Japan Nutrition and Kampo Association), and similar bodies.
  4. Manufacturer official documentation — published technical sheets, CoA templates, IR documents (for listed companies), filed patents.
  5. Industry publications and trade press — recognised publications with editorial standards.

When a claim is supported by a primary source, we link to it. When a claim is based on aggregated industry knowledge without a single pinned source, we mark it as "Industry-knowledge claim — pinned source pending" so readers can calibrate confidence accordingly.

We do not source factual claims from anonymous forums, AI-generated content without verification, or commercially-aligned blog posts that are not clearly labelled as such.

Trademark and naming conventions

Many Japanese ingredient names involve registered trademarks. We adhere to the following conventions:

Use generic names by default

When discussing an ingredient class, we prefer the generic INCI name, scientific name, or commonly-used Japanese name (with Hepburn romaji). For example:

  • “Botanboufu” or “Sakuna” (generic names) rather than “Chōmei-sō” (Shiseido registered trademark) when discussing the plant Peucedanum japonicum.
  • “Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein” (INCI) rather than specific brand-trademarked pearl protein names when discussing the ingredient class.
  • “Mirin” or “Hon-Mirin” (legally-defined product category) rather than brand-specific names.

Mark trademarks explicitly

When a registered trademark, product name, or brand-specific term is necessary, we mark it with the appropriate symbol (®, ™) and attribute the owner. Examples: “Equelle® (registered trademark of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.)”, “Suntheanine® (registered trademark of Taiyo Kagaku)”.

Romaji conventions

We use Hepburn romanisation with macrons (ō, ū) for Japanese words. Common exceptions follow widespread English usage (e.g., “Tokyo” not “Tōkyō”, “ramen” not “rāmen”) when the term is well-established in English.

Manufacturer listing criteria

Listing tiers

Manufacturers on the Sourcing platform are categorised into three editorial listing tiers:

  • Premium — established export experience, internationally-recognised certifications (e.g., ISO 22716, FSSC 22000, COSMOS, Ecocert), English-capable communication channels, and verifiable patents or proprietary technologies.
  • Standard — clear domestic operations, defined ingredient catalogues, and at least one accessible communication channel for B2B inquiries.
  • Basic — smaller producers, regional cooperatives, or specialty workshops with verifiable production capability but limited overseas sales infrastructure. Often best contacted through OEM JAPAN's mediated inquiry process.

What we list

We list manufacturers when they are operating, registered legal entities in Japan; produce the ingredient in question (or have verifiable contractual relationships with primary producers); are documented in publicly accessible sources or through direct interview with our editorial team; and are open to receiving B2B sourcing inquiries from overseas buyers.

What we do not list

  • Companies engaged in fraudulent practices, regulatory violations, or other conduct documented in credible enforcement records.
  • Companies that have explicitly requested not to be listed.
  • Companies for which we cannot verify operational status.

How tier is determined

Listing tier is assigned by the OEM JAPAN editorial team based on the criteria above. Tier is not a paid placement. A manufacturer cannot purchase Premium-tier status. Tier reflects editorial assessment only.

Conflict of interest disclosure

OEM JAPAN's primary revenue model is intermediated B2B sourcing — we facilitate inquiries between overseas buyers and Japanese manufacturers, and may receive referral fees, commissions, or service fees from successful matches.

This commercial relationship creates inherent conflicts of interest that we manage through the following practices:

Editorial independence

  • Editorial coverage (Glossary entries, ingredient profiles, regulatory analysis) is produced independently of any commercial agreement with manufacturers.
  • We do not accept payment in exchange for favourable coverage, removal of unfavourable information, or preferential ranking.
  • The editorial team operates separately from the commercial / partnership team.

Paid placement

  • As of 2026-04-26, all manufacturer listings on the Sourcing platform are editorial selections — there are no paid placements.
  • If we introduce paid placements in the future, they will be clearly labelled as “Sponsored” or “Paid placement”, distinguished visually from editorial content, and subject to the same factual accuracy standards as editorial content.

Personal disclosures

Members of the OEM JAPAN editorial team disclose personal financial relationships (consulting roles, equity stakes) with covered manufacturers. Where such relationships exist, the team member is recused from coverage of that manufacturer.

Corrections, removals, and disputes

We welcome corrections from any reader, including manufacturers, buyers, researchers, and the general public.

How to request a correction

Email info@oemjp.com with the URL of the page in question, the specific text you believe is inaccurate, the correction you propose, and any supporting evidence (links, documents).

How we handle correction requests

Within 5 business days of receipt:

  • We acknowledge receipt.
  • We review the request against our information sources.
  • If the correction is substantiated, we update the page within 10 business days, with a “Corrected on YYYY-MM-DD” notice at the bottom.
  • If we disagree, we respond with our reasoning.
  • If we cannot reach agreement, we offer the requestor the opportunity to publish a brief response on the page.

Removal requests

We consider removal requests when:

  • A listed manufacturer requests removal of their listing (we comply except where the listing is in the public interest).
  • Information is inaccurate and cannot be corrected to be made accurate.
  • Content was published without proper consent (e.g., an interview subject withdrawing consent).

We do not remove content for these reasons:

  • The content is unfavourable but accurate.
  • The request is from a third party who is not the subject of the content.
  • The request would obscure information that is in the public interest.

Editorial independence

OEM JAPAN's editorial team is responsible for all content under /en/glossary, /en/sourcing, /en/regulation, and /en/tokyo-shelf-report. The team operates with these independence principles:

  • Editorial decisions are not reviewed by the commercial team prior to publication.
  • Manufacturers do not receive previews of their coverage before publication, with the exception of factual fact-checking where applicable.
  • Tokyo Shelf Report observations and editorial commentary are based on actual shelf observations and editorial judgement, not paid promotion.
  • When this independence is challenged or compromised in a specific case, we disclose it on the affected page.

About the editorial team

OEM JAPAN's editorial team is led by Tomohiko Kezuka, representative director of Site Engine Inc. The team includes researchers, writers, and domain specialists with backgrounds in:

  • Japanese cosmetic ingredient science and regulatory affairs.
  • Food and beverage industry analysis.
  • B2B trade and OEM operations.
  • Translation and bilingual editorial work.

Where external contribution is significant on a specific page, we credit the contributor. For media inquiries or to suggest editorial topics, contact info@oemjp.com.

Last reviewed and contact

This editorial policy was last reviewed on 2026-04-26.

We review this policy when:

  • We change our revenue model in ways that introduce new conflicts of interest.
  • We introduce new content categories or sections that need editorial coverage.
  • We receive feedback that suggests the current policy is unclear or incomplete.

To suggest improvements to this policy, email info@oemjp.com.