Chicago, Sept. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japanese food makers are accelerating their investment in the United States, such as by building new factories and expanding existing facilities, amid the growing popularity of Japanese cuisine among U.S. consumers. Japanese makers are also seeking a tailwind from rising demand for Japanese food among U.S. visitors to Japan who want to continue enjoying their favorite Japanese products after returning home. As the food market in Japan is expected to shrink due to the country’s declining population, companies are seeking growth opportunities in overseas markets. “A virtuous cycle has been established whereby visitors continue to seek out the Japanese food they enjoyed during their stay even after returning home,” said an official at the Japan External Trade Organization’s division responsible for U.S. affairs, adding that Japanese companies are likely to continue expanding their investment in the United States, where the population continues to grow. In 2025, the number of visitors from the United States to Japan rose 22.9 pct from the previous year to about 3.11 million. Meanwhile, the position of Japanese direct investment in the U.S. food manufacturing sector stood at 8,195 million dollars as of the end of 2025, about 2.5 times the level of a decade ago, according to U.S. Commerce Department statistics. Kikkoman Corp., the leading Japanese soy sauce maker, began shipping U.S.-made products in 1973. It has taken the lead in the U.S. household soy sauce market by cultivating demand through steady activities such as selling “teriyaki” sauce, a variation of soy sauce. “We had found that American food paired well with soy sauce and developed recipes to bring them together,” Kikkoman Honorary CEO and Chairman Yuzaburo Mogi told reporters in the United States on Sept. 17. “The most important part is creating demand.” In the fiscal year ended in March 2026, Kikkoman reported consolidated sales of 745.5 billion yen, with its overseas operations accounting for 78 pct of its sales and for 90 pct of its business profit. In October, the company will start shipping products made at its third U.S. plant in Jefferson, Wisconsin. Its production capacity in the country is expected to expand 1.4-fold by around 2036. Meanwhile, major Japanese mushroom producer Hokuto Corp. aims to start operations at its second U.S. plant in fiscal 2028. The company sees low competition and growth potential in the United States as mushroom consumption is rising in the country amid a boom in Japanese cuisine and healthy foods. “As the quality of our products is highly regarded, a single pack of mushrooms sells for as much as 4 to 6 dollars,” a Hokuto public relations official said. Japanese confectionery brands are also gaining a growing presence in the United States. Morinaga & Co. will start operations at its second U.S. plant in October, built at a cost of about 20 billion yen, to strengthen the supply of Hi-Chew soft candy products. Meiji Co. plans to add a new production line for its Hello Panda biscuit snack in York, Pennsylvania, with the aim of doubling its sales in the United States by around fiscal 2030 from the fiscal 2024 level. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
