Hatomugi (Job's Tears / Adlay)

Both refer to the same plant (Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen), but the regulatory framing differs. As a food, hatomugi (はとむぎ) is sold as tea, grain, supplement ingredient, and cosmetic ingredient under standard food and cosmetic labeling rules — efficacy claims must follow FFC or general health-food rules. As a Kampo crude drug, Yokuinin (薏苡仁) is listed in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia and can be used in Kampo formulations for warts, acne, and inflammatory skin conditions with proper Yakkihō (drug law) compliance. The grain itself is the same; the labeling, claims permitted, and regulatory pathway differ.

Hatomugi has been used in Japanese traditional medicine for centuries for skin clarity, warts, and inflammatory skin conditions. The Yokuinin Kampo tradition codified its association with skin health, and modern marketing extended this into the food and supplement category — hatomugi tea and supplements are positioned around 'transparent skin', 'skin texture', and 'wart-clearing' benefits. While the FFC (Foods with Function Claims) regime requires evidence-backed claims for specific functions, the broader cultural association with beauty and skin clarity drives consumer demand without requiring formal medical claims. This positioning is unique to the Japanese market — international markets (EU, US) typically position the same ingredient as a general 'ancient grain' or TCM ingredient.