Nowadays, rapidly-developing gene-recombination technology is used for many kinds of research and industrial fields that support our life. Among these fields are agriculture, medicine, and industry. Recombinant DNA technology also holds possible alternatives that can provide solutions to global food problems and environmental concerns. However, on the other hand, when we use the recombinant DNA technology, we need to consider the effects on “biological diversity”＊ and the safety of food, feed, and medical supplies.
 This website introduces the system in Japan to check beforehand whether the use of Living Modified Organisms affect biological diversity or not.


＊There are around 30 million kinds of life that evolve by adapting to a variety of environments on the face of the earth. These life forms are connected with natural spaces such as forests, mountains and rivers. In addition, even in same species, different genes make different characteristics of shapes, colors, and behavior. These “characteristics” and “connections” are called “biological diversity.”

What are Living Modified Organisms (LMOs)?

 The process of removing specific genes＊ from an organism and introducing them to another organism is known as “recombinant DNA technology.” The organisms into which the new characteristics have been incorporated with this technology are called “Living Modified Organisms (LMOs).”
 Traditional breed improvements are not different from changing genes by hand. However, the recombinant DNA technology has features that make it possible to introduce “beyond species,” “in a short time,” “aimed characters for certainty.”

＊Genes are blueprints for producing many kinds of proteins, and determine the shapes, colors, and behavior. Usually it is composed of the substance called DNA (RNA, in some viruses).


GMO or LMO?
Although organisms created by recombinant DNA technology are generally referred to as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), the Cartagena Protocol uses the term “Living Modified Organisms (LMOs).” The term is refers to “living” organisms obtained using modern biotechnology including cell fusion across taxonomic families.