CFB’S INFLUENCE ON THE JAPANESE COSMETIC INDUSTRY
Major Cosmetic Brands in Japan Declared to End Animal Testing One After Another
KOSÉ
On September 10, 2014, CFB (Cruelty Free Beauty for Animals) visited the headquarters of KOSÉ Corporation and demanded them to abolish animal testing for cosmetics. It was revealed that the company stopped animal testing for ingredients and finished products in the first half of 2013, regardless of where they were produced, either in-house or outsourcing and their subsidiaries and affiliated companies also implemented the same policy.
POLA ORBIS
Lobbying started from November 2014. CFB managed to meet with five key persons including a member of board of Pola Orbis Holdings Inc. and a vice president of quality assurance of Pola Inc. They promised to abolish animal testing for cosmetics and quasi-drugs scheduled to be developed from January 1, 2015.
Kao and Kanebo
On June 22, 2015, CFB (Cruelty Free Beauty for Animals) visited the Kao headquarters to meet five members of their management including an executive director. They confirmed that from March 2015, Kao group including their affiliated company, Kanebo Cosmetics Inc., abolished animal testing for developing cosmetics and quasi-drugs (cosmeceutical) containing new ingredients which require an approval from the authority or request for revision of the cosmetics standards.
A few months later, the company responded CFB’s request that they started to procure ingredients not tested on animal and the transactions would be confirmed in writing.
Fujifilm (ASTALIFT)
In March 2016, Fujifilm Corporation confirmed in writing that no animal testing is conducted for finished products as well as ingredients of cosmetics and quasi-drugs including outsourced materials. They also confirmed that they did not employ animal testing for their basic research. Based on that, CFB requested the company to draw up the policy not to procure cosmetic ingredients tested on animal. Their response of June 30, 2016 said that the company informed their suppliers that they would not procure any materials tested on animal from April 1, 2016, and this policy would be confirmed in writing.
Rohto Pharmaceutical
In January 2016, CFB started collecting signatures through a petition website, Change.org, to demand Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. to end animal testing. After one week, Rohto revised their policies on the website, but it didn’t meet CFB’s expectation. CFB continued to negotiate with the company until it agreed to discontinue animal testing for cosmetics and quasi-drugs including products under development.
(from CFB panel exhibition at Lush Prize 2016 public event in Seoul, South Korea on 17th November 2016.)