Photo/Illutration The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

A global Japanese food boom and the weak yen propelled Japan’s exports of agricultural, forestry and fisheries products and food to a record 1.5 trillion yen ($9.7 billion) in 2024.

Exports rose 3.7 percent from a year earlier to 1.507 trillion yen for the 12th consecutive year-on-year increase, the farm ministry announced Feb. 4.

At a news conference, farm minister Taku Eto said the government’s goal of raising the figure to 2 trillion yen this year is “never unachievable,” while admitting that it is a “high hurdle.”

A key will be when China and other countries will lift import restrictions on Japanese seafood they imposed to protest the discharge of treated radioactive water from the stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant into the sea.

In 2024, exports to China nose-dived 29.1 percent year on year and those to Hong Kong slid 6.6 percent due to the trade restrictions.

But increased shipments to other countries offset the decline.

Exports to the United States zoomed 17.8 percent and those to Taiwan increased 11.2 percent, for example.

By export item, rice posted a 27.8 percent jump and green tea registered a 24.6 percent spike. Beef exports also rose 12.1 percent.

In December, exports of scallops climbed 42.6 percent year on year to 9 billion yen, exceeding the level before China banned imports of Japanese seafood in August 2023.

The farm ministry attributed the rebound to diversified sales channels.

Related News