Food & Agriculture

The Japanese food market is a high-price market with a total value of over 3 billion. DKK. The Japanese market is known to be quality conscious with a strong focus on food safety. Meat and meat preparation products also account for the second largest export commodity group to Japan in 2021. In recent years, sustainability is increasingly on the agenda in Japan, where the market for sustainable food has grown significantly in recent years. These trends are creating major new opportunities in the Japanese market for Danish food and agricultural companies, which are at the forefront of this field.

Japan has some structural challenges in agriculture and thus a low food and feed self-sufficiency rate of respectively, 37% and 25%. At the same time, the war in Ukraine has led to additional price pressures on food, feed and fertilisers, and the country is thus critically dependent on imported food, including - but not limited to – animal-based products.

Since 2012, the value of total food imports to Japan has increased by over 20%. Traditionally, raw materials for the processing industry (food service) have accounted for the vast majority of Danish food exports, particularly exports of pork and dairy products. In addition, export of ingredients are also noteworthy.

In recent years, sustainability is increasingly on the agenda in Japan, where the market for sustainable food has grown. With the adoption of the Strategy for Sustainable Food Systems (MeaDRI) in 2021, Japan has placed focus on a green transition of the agricultural sector and furthermore established a plan with the aim of ensuring a growing share of organic production in Japan. It is not only at the political level that sustainability has come into focus. Japanese companies and consumers are certainly following suit. The interest in sustainability and animal welfare is growing, and the number of consumers buying organic products is increasing every year. These trends are creating new opportunities in the Japanese market for Danish food and agricultural companies, which are at the forefront of this field.

With the low level of self-sufficiency for foods in Japan, Japanese companies and consumers have their eyes on products originating from Europe. This, combined with a growing interest in sustainable products, makes Japan a market with great growth potential for Danish food and agricultural companies that have sustainability on their agenda, whether it is related to animal or plant-based products, technologies or tools to be used for a sustainable production. The Danish Embassy in Tokyo is actively working to introduce relevant stakeholders and companies to Danish initiatives and strengths in this area, as well as to make Danish companies more aware of the importance of sustainability for Japanese purchasing decisions now and in the future.

Do you see yourself as a potential part of the Japanese market? The Danish Embassy in Tokyo's Agriculture and Food team is ready to help and advise you on your journey.

Head of Trade
Tine Hasling Rasmussen

Food & Agriculture Team
Marie Louise Flach de Neergaard  
Miho Matsumoto