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Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries proposed to revise the Geographical Indication (GI) Act to boost exports of GI-protected processed foods. Comment period ends on September 1, 2022.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries released 2030 targets for its “Green Food System Strategy,” including a 10.6 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, a 20 percent reduction in use of chemical fertilizers, and a 10 percent reduction in use of chemical pesticides.

Japan’s stone fruit consumption has remained steady during the COVID-19 pandemic, as domestic production continues to determine the availability of cherries and peaches. In MY 2021/22, frost damage diminished cherry production, while favorable...

The Japanese Diet enacted new legislation, the “Act to Promote Environmental Burden Reduction Activities for Establishment of Environmentally Harmonized Food System,” to support adoption of Japan’s Green Food System Strategy by farmers, foresters, and fishermen.

Interactive Tableau visualization showing what percentage of U.S. agricultural exports go to each of the top markets.

Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) proposed revisions to Japan’s maximum residue levels for eight agricultural chemicals (Acynonapyr, Fenarimol, Fenpyrazamine, Flonicamid, Fluxametamide, Glufosinate, Penthiopyrad, and Trifloxystrobin) for various agricultural commodities.

On June 3, Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries affirmed that it would maintain the tariff-rate quota volumes for butter at 7,600 MT and non-fat dry milk (NFDM) at 750 MT for Japanese fiscal year (JFY) 2022, in line with its...

In 2021, the total value of all retail food and beverage (F&B) sales in Japan totaled $467.20 billion, a 2.3 percent decrease over 2020 sales of $478.12 billion. Supermarkets continue to represent the bulk of the retail food market, accounting for 74 percent of the market, with convenience stores, drugstores and internet sales of food and beverages accounting for the rest of the market.

A Tableau visualization comparing exports to the current top U.S. agricultural export markets since 1989.

The U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement (USJTA), 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. In JFY 2021, allocation and fill rates of the TRQs continued to remain low.

Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) will add walnuts to list of allergens that product manufacturers and importers must include on the label of packaged products containing walnuts. Currently, CAA strongly recommends including walnuts on the label, but does not require their inclusion.

Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) proposed revisions to Japan’s maximum residue levels for 9 agricultural chemicals (Etofenprox, Fenpyroximate, Florasulam, Fluensulfone, Tetraconazole, Cloxacillin, 1,2-Dichlorobenzene, Didecyldimethylammonium chloride, and Nicarbazin) for various agricultural commodities.