Photo: Founding members of LPPOM-YANO Halal Solution. The fifth from the right is LPPOM President Director Muti Arintawati

On November 5, Yano Research Institute Ltd. and LPPOM (formerly LPPOM MUI), Indonesia’s largest halal certification inspection body based in Bogor, announced at a press conference that they had reached an agreement to establish a comprehensive halal certification service organization, “LPPOM-YANO Halal Solution.” They also held an information-sharing session for the invited companies that had already obtained halal certification through LPPOM, as well as those currently pursuing certification.

Working in partnership with an audit and certification body to be separately established in Japan by 100% investment of LPPOM, the new LPPOM-YANO organization aims to launch a full-fledged one-stop support for Japanese companies by April 2026. The service to be provided will be halal conformity assessments in accordance with the international quality standard ISO/IEC 17065:2012. It will leverage LPPOM’s credibility and expertise, accumulated through audit experience with more than 77,000 companies across 70 countries worldwide, not only within Indonesia.

The information-sharing session was attended by LPPOM President Director Muti Arintawati, along with leading auditors experienced in auditing Japanese companies, who visited Japan specifically for this event. They engaged in active discussions with representatives from the invited companies. The session highlighted a lively and practical Q&A on subjects such as the operational details of Indonesia’s halal certification system under which the issuance of certificates has been centralized within the government body (BPJPH), and modalities of mutual recognition of halal certifications with countries such as Malaysia and Thailand. The participants also expressed considerable expectations for the global one-stop services to be provided in Japanese.

The global economy is now at a major turning point, with free trade facing a critical situation. Against this backdrop, the significance of the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement) is growing further. With the addition of the United Kingdom, which was approved to join this trade bloc at the end of last year, the number of member countries has reached twelve, representing 15% of global GDP. Meanwhile, nine countries including China, Indonesia, and the UAE (United Arab Emirates) are now applying or negotiating for membership, and South Korea has also begun considering participation.

Nevertheless, quite a number of Japanese companies remain hesitant to expand into overseas markets, particularly when it comes to developing business or exporting to Islamic markets. The challenge posed by “halal”—which cannot be resolved through market research or feasibility studies alone—has been a persistent barrier. By working in close collaboration with LPPOM, Yano Research aims to overcome this challenge and support the development of new sales channels and the creation of growth opportunities not only for major corporations and mid-sized companies, but also for locally based businesses.

Yano Research Institute Signs Memorandum of Understanding with LPPOM to Launch Halal Conformity Assessment Services in Japan | Yano Research Market solution provider

Takashi Mizukoshi, the President
This Week’s Focus, November 2-6, 2025