Japan Food Exports Increase 10.9 Pct in Jan.-June

Tokyo, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s exports of agricultural, forestry and fishery products and food items grew 10.9 pct from a year earlier to 897.7 billion yen in January-June, the agriculture ministry said Tuesday. The export value marked a record high for the first-half period although the pace of increase slowed from some 15 pct a year before. Exports were the highest on record for 23 items, including green tea, yellowtail and sauce and mixed seasonings. Shipments of green tea, including matcha, came to 48.2 billion yen, up 83.5 pct, the sharpest rise among all items, reflecting growing demand for use mainly in matcha lattes and sweets in Europe, the United States and Southeast Asia. Yellowtail exports expanded 69.0 pct to 43.4 billion yen, thanks to higher prices and robust demand in North America and South Korea. Rice exports, which the Japanese government is seeking to increase, grew 11.6 pct on a value basis but shrank 13.7 pct by volume. Higher rice prices are believed to have dented sales. By destination, exports to the United States, the biggest overseas market for Japan’s agricultural, forestry and fishery products and food items, rose 15.3 pct to 162.6 billion yen. Those to Vietnam and South Korea gained 35.4 pct and 20.5 pct, respectively. The government set export targets of 2 trillion yen for 2025 and 5 trillion yen for 2030. But the country failed to meet the target for 2025, when exports totaled 1,700.5 billion yen. To meet the target for 2030, the ministry is aiming to further increase the number of businesses making efforts to increase exports. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]