An ad hoc committee set up by the Cultural Affairs Council endorsed a plan Monday to get Japanese food culture listed on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list.
The government will present its formal nomination to the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Culture Organization by the end of March so a decision on the listing can be made as early as autumn 2013.
UNESCO has put 20 Japanese cultural traditions ranging from the performing arts of kabuki and noh to festivals and traditional crafts on the list so far.
The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry, which is backing the nomination, said the traditional Japanese meal is a customary social practice expressing respect for nature and serves to strengthen the bonds between family members and the community.