Bear in mind

If you would like pro-active support in entering the Japanese market, please do not hesitate to visit our support page, where you will find information on how to get the help you need.

Our experts are at your full disposal, so please do not hesitate to send them your queries at our Ask a Question page.

Food & Beverage

Japan’s agricultural sector suffers from a combination of low productivity, high and distortionary levels of agricultural support (which places a burden on Japanese consumers and taxpayers) and a shortage of land suited to farming. These limitations undermine Japan’s farming sector and complicate its participation in bilateral and regional trade agreements that would boost its growth potential. To make matters worse, the Fukushima nuclear incident has made exportation harder and importation more volatile. Find out more about Japan's food and beverage industry below.

About Food & Beverage

Japan’s status as a cultural superpower is perhaps best exemplified by the global popularity of Japanese cuisine. In addition to its international popularity, Japanese food also enjoys a reputation for promoting health and longevity, with its traditional emphasis on...
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Alcohol

Europe is the foremost exporter of liquor and wine worldwide, and the Japanese liquor market is one of the biggest in the world with annual sales estimated at over 6 trillion yen.  However, imports of foreign alcohol comprise a mere 6% of the total Japanese liquor...
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Cereals

Japan is both one of the world’s most technologically advanced nations and also a small-scale agricultural producer, making it a major importer of wheat and other cereals. The Japanese grain processing sector, especially its feed sector, was hit hard by the Great...
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Confectionery

Despite weak economic growth, Japan still possesses the largest and most mature confectionary market in the Asia-Pacific region. In particular, demand for sugar confectionary is expected to grow rapidly between 2012-2017, helped by increased competition between...
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Dairy

The Japanese dairy sector has recently experienced a sustained period of strong growth. The dairy sector is the third largest in Japanese industry and will observe the fifth largest increase in the same period. The Japanese are developing a strong appetite for dairy...
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Functional & Health Foods

Japan has one of the largest health food markets in the world, and also has the market with the strictest regulations. In an ageing market, health food is especially important in the minds of consumers and it can therefore be difficult to gain accreditation, or to...
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Meat

The consumption of meat has been growing in line with the decline of seafood associated with the influence of Western food culture. In 2016, meat and meat products was the 1st largest trade deficit in food products, at 10.6 billion EUR. Pork meat, bovine...
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Processed & Frozen Foods

The Japanese processed food market has traditionally been regarded as difficult to enter. However a the growing popularity of convenient and economical ready-to-eat meals which has opened...
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Soft Drinks

The current mood of optimism in Japan which is a result of the proactive economic policies of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to have a positive effect on the soft drinks market in Japan. With predicted compound annual growth rates of 3.5% for the...
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