Japan's food export value hits record 897.7 billion yen in first half of 2026

Official figures released on Tuesday indicate that Japan's combined exports of agricultural, forestry, fishery and food products totaled 897.7 billion yen in the first half of 2026, a 10.9% increase over the same period last year and the highest ever for the January-June window. Shipments to each of the country's ten largest markets, including the United States, Hong Kong and China, exceeded the previous year’s levels.

Green tea posted the most dramatic rise, up 83.5% to 48.2 billion yen, reflecting a worldwide matcha boom and growing health-conscious demand. Yellowtail exports jumped 69.0% to 43.4 billion yen, while South Korea and Vietnam recorded 20.5% and 35.4% growth respectively, driven by strong appetite for seafood and Japanese beer. Although rice export volumes declined because of shortages, higher prices lifted its value to a record 7.5 billion yen. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries attributed the gains to inbound tourism, new overseas sales channels and expanding consumer interest in Japanese cuisine.