Browse Data and Analysis

FAS/Tokyo estimates lower wheat and barley production in Marketing Year (MY)2024/25 from the previous year as unfavorable weather conditions and disease outbreak have reduced yields in main production regions.

The retail industry in Japan remained stable despite the continued strength of the U.S. dollar vs. the Japanese yen. To drive demand, retailers have strategically targeted the younger generation who seek easy-to-prepare, frozen, and ready-to-eat foods.

On August 27, 2024, Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) registered geographical indication (GI) protection for Pineapple Huaymun from Thailand, which is the third Thai GI item registered in Japan.

Throughout summer 2024, Japan has been grappling with a table rice shortage resulting in empty supermarket as demand outpaced production for the last three years causing stocks to deplete to their lowest levels in over 20 years.

FAS/Tokyo forecasts cattle inventory expands in 2025 on greater cow beginning stocks and a moderate pace of slaughtering from 2024.

FAS/Tokyo projects that in 2024 as well as 2025 Japan’s annual poultry production will expand to meet strong demand for domestically produced chicken.

Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) proposed revisions to Japan’s maximum residue levels for 6 agricultural chemicals (Bifenthrin, Flutolanil, Inpyrfluxam, Picarbutrazox, Pyribencarb, Sethoxydim) for various agricultural commodities.

In Japan Fiscal Year 2022, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) awarded 677,714 metric tons of rice through the Minimum Access import system.

On April 21, Japan's National Tax Agency opened a public comment period for the Guidelines for Handling Alcoholic Beverages with Organisms Developed with Genome Editing Technology. The public comment period will close on May 25, 2023.

On April 3, Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced tariff-rate quota (TRQ) volumes for dairy products during Japanese Fiscal Year 2023 (April to March).

Japan announced low tariff-rate quotas for butter (8,000 MT) and non-fat dried milk (750 MT) in Japanese fiscal year 2023.

The U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement (USJTA) will enter Year 5 of agreement implementation on April 1, 2023, eliminating tariffs on multiple products with staging categories where tariffs were reduced in four annual increments beginning on April 1 of Year 2 (April 1, 2020).