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Japan
This Week in Asia

Mainland China was top importer of Japanese food in 2021, surpassing Hong Kong and the US, with sake, scallops and whisky in demand

  • Growing Chinese appetites for its goods helped Japan boost its annual food exports by over 25 per cent, hitting its target of 1 trillion yen for 2021
  • Hong Kong bought more pearls, but fewer sea cucumbers due to a decline in demand from restaurants

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Sushi restaurant chain Sushizanmai displays a bluefin tuna that fetched around US$1.8 million in Tokyo in 2020. Japan’s edible exports have been soaring to new heights. Photo: AFP
Julian Ryall

Japan hit its target of 1 trillion yen (US$8.67 billion) in annual food exports in 2021, a 25.6 per cent increase on the previous year, thanks in large part to big-spending Chinese consumers snapping up high-end products ranging from whisky and sake to scallops, beef, fruit and vegetables.

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Mainland China resumed top spot in Japan’s export list for the first time in seven years, surpassing Hong Kong and with the United States remaining in third place. Exports of food, farm, forestry and marine products to mainland China soared 35.2 per cent during the year, to a value of 222.4 billion yen (US$1.93 billion), according to data released by the Japanese government.

Hokkaido scallops. Japanese exports of scallops rose a massive 104 per cent last year compared to 2020, largely thanks to demand for high-end Hokkaido shellfish in mainland China and the US. Photo: Popinjays
Hokkaido scallops. Japanese exports of scallops rose a massive 104 per cent last year compared to 2020, largely thanks to demand for high-end Hokkaido shellfish in mainland China and the US. Photo: Popinjays
Exports to Hong Kong also increased, albeit by a more moderate 6 per cent to a value of 219 billion yen (US$1.9 billion). Sales to the US were up 41.2 per cent to 168 billion yen (US$1.46 billion), with Taiwan in fourth place on the list, with exports up 27 per cent, and followed by sales to Vietnam, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, the Philippines and the European Union.

All of the top 10 export destinations saw significant increases, with the smallest increase the still respectable 9.4 per cent rise in shipments of foodstuffs to Vietnam.

Statistics from the ministry of agriculture indicate that soaring demand in mainland China was driven by “economic activities on a recovery trend” as concern about the coronavirus pandemic begins to wane. Demand for eating out at restaurants has recovered, the report stated, with demand driving prices higher.

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