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 fresh cherry production has been substantially impacted by a changing climate. Fresh cherry production in the 2024/25 marketing year (MY) is estimated to fall to 14,700 metric tons (MT) because of damage from high temperatures in the largest volume production region.

On March 1, 2024, the Japan Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) launched a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction labeling system for 23 domestically-produced agricultural products.

The U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement, which entered into force on January 1, 2020, improved market access for U.S. products through the creation of tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for food wheat, wheat products, malt, processed cheese, whey, glucose and fructose, potato starch, corn starch, and inulin.

The Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) of Japan proposed three sets of revisions. First, to Japan’s maximum residue levels for 16 agricultural chemicals (Cyflumetofen, Flometoquin, Pyribencarb, Quinofumelin, Fenitrothion, Sulfachlorpyridazine...

On Monday, June 24, 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of the Government of Japan (GOJ) opened a public comment period for its revision for domestic field trial requirements of genetically engineered (GE) crops.

With the aging of the population and the decline in the number of people in rural areas, securing labor in the field of agriculture has become more challenging in Japan.