In most countries, eating raw eggs is a gamble. The risk of salmonella poisoning has led to countless warnings on egg cartons and strict food safety regulations. Yet in Japan, raw eggs aren’t a health hazard—they’re breakfast.
So what makes Japan raw eggs so different, and why are they safe to consume without cooking?
The answer lies in a powerful combination of science, precision farming, industrial hygiene, and an unwavering national commitment to food safety culture in Japan.
The foundation of egg safety in Japan starts at the farm level. Chickens are raised in clean, closely monitored environments where their health is routinely inspected. Unlike in some countries where contamination risks are higher due to poor handling and sanitation, Japanese egg farms follow strict biosecurity protocols that prevent bacteria, especially salmonella, from entering the supply chain.
Once an egg is laid, it’s collected almost immediately and passed through a fully automated cleaning system. Each egg is washed with warm, sterilized water and a food-safe detergent to remove any contaminants from the shell. After that, eggs are UV-sterilized—a unique step that kills any remaining microscopic bacteria. The result? Some of the cleanest eggs in the world.
To ensure internal safety, advanced spectroscopic analysis and candling machines check for cracks, blood spots, or imperfections. Only eggs that pass every stage of inspection are approved for sale.
One of the critical ways Japan prevents salmonella outbreaks is through its meticulous cold chain system. From the moment eggs leave the farm to the time they arrive in a consumer’s refrigerator, they are kept at a consistently low temperature. This cold chain is never broken—not in storage, not during transport, and not even on supermarket shelves.
The Japanese cold chain system ensures that bacterial growth is minimized. In fact, egg expiration in Japan includes two dates: one for raw consumption and one for cooked consumption. Japanese consumers are taught from a young age to follow these dates closely, discarding eggs as soon as they pass the raw-safe window.
This level of precision and consumer compliance is rare elsewhere and plays a big role in maintaining the integrity of the Japanese egg industry.
In Japan, food safety isn’t just enforced by regulation—it’s part of the culture. From farmers and processors to retailers and consumers, everyone plays a role. Schoolchildren are taught how to read labels, understand raw egg health risks, and follow safe food handling practices.
This widespread education and awareness make a huge difference. When nearly an entire population consumes raw eggs regularly, food safety culture in Japan ensures that everyone takes the responsibility seriously.
Restaurants, too, follow strict hygiene protocols when serving raw eggs in dishes like sukiyaki, tamago kake gohan (raw egg on rice), or as a topping for sushi. Every step of the process, from sourcing to serving, is aligned with national safety standards.
While it’s tempting to ask why other countries don’t follow suit, the reality is complex. Adopting Japan’s model would require a complete overhaul of the existing food infrastructure—everything from farm practices to transportation systems to consumer habits.
In places where refrigeration isn’t strictly enforced or egg washing isn’t common, the risks remain high. And without the same level of cultural awareness or government investment, it’s unlikely that other countries could easily mimic the egg safety Japan has perfected.
The next time you see someone in Japan crack a raw egg over steaming rice, understand that it’s not just culinary tradition—it’s the result of a deeply rooted system built on trust, science, and national discipline.
The Japanese egg industry has done what few others have: turned a potential health risk into a cultural norm—safely. It’s no wonder the world looks to Japan raw eggs as the gold standard for egg hygiene and safety.