Japan's Agri-Food Exports Reach ¥897.7 Billion in H1 2026, Setting a First-Half Record

Japan’s agricultural, forestry, fishery and food exports totalled a preliminary ¥897.7 billion in January–June 2026, a 10.9% increase year-on-year and the highest first-half total on record, according to figures published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) on 4 August 2026. The result extends an unbroken run of annual export records — Japan also posted its thirteenth consecutive full-year record in 2025, at approximately ¥1.7 trillion. Several government programs support this export push; a few are open to overseas businesses, while most are aimed at Japanese exporters.

What happened?

MAFF published preliminary H1 2026 trade figures on 4 August 2026. The headline total of ¥897.7 billion (8,977億円) is a 速報値 — a preliminary figure based on Ministry of Finance trade statistics — and is subject to revision in a later release.

By product category, agricultural products were the largest segment at ¥567.4 billion, up 8.5% year-on-year. Fishery (aquatic) products were the fastest-growing category at ¥238.4 billion, up 19.5%. Forestry products contributed ¥39.4 billion (+6.2%), and small-value cargo added ¥52.6 billion (+5.0%).

Among individual products, green tea was the single largest contributor to H1 2026 export growth, adding approximately ¥22 billion compared with H1 2025, driven by rising demand for powdered tea in Western and South-East Asian markets. Yellowtail was the second-largest contributor, adding approximately ¥17.8 billion, primarily from North American and South Korean demand. Sauces and mixed seasonings added approximately ¥5.1 billion.

By destination, the United States ranked first at ¥162.6 billion (+15.3% year-on-year), followed by Hong Kong at ¥110.0 billion (+3.0%), China at ¥94.0 billion (+4.3%), and Taiwan at ¥88.2 billion (+9.5%).

For context, full-year 2025 exports reached approximately ¥1.7 trillion (+12.8% year-on-year) — the thirteenth consecutive annual record. In 2025, the United States was also the top destination at ¥276.2 billion (+13.7%), followed by Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and South Korea (+20.0% to ¥109.4 billion). Green tea posted particularly strong full-year 2025 growth, rising 98.2% to ¥72 billion; scallops rose 30.4% and yellowtail rose 27.4%.

Japan’s government revised its Export Expansion Action Strategy in May 2025 through an inter-ministerial conference. The revision added three new priority products — pears, processed scallops, and persimmons/processed persimmons — bringing the total number of priority export items to 31. It also added new strategic pillars covering food-industry overseas expansion and inbound food-consumption growth alongside direct exports.

Why does it matter?

Japan’s government has set a 2030 export target of ¥5 trillion for agricultural, forestry, fishery and food products, as well as targets of ¥3 trillion for food-industry overseas business revenue and ¥4.5 trillion for inbound food-related consumption. All three targets were adopted via the Food and Agriculture Basic Plan approved in April 2025. At approximately ¥1.7 trillion in 2025, exports stand at roughly one-third of the headline goal; the gap is still substantial.

The breadth of these targets — encompassing direct exports, overseas restaurant and retail expansion, and inbound tourism spending — indicates that the government views overseas food businesses and buyers as connected parts of Japan’s food-promotion infrastructure, not merely as end customers. Most of these services are designed for Japanese exporters; a smaller number, such as JETRO’s certification for overseas stores, are aimed at overseas businesses directly.

What could this mean for international businesses?

The following points are our interpretation, not government guidance. No outcome is guaranteed, and government support for exports does not mean any specific supplier is available or interested in trading.

• Sustained buyer-support programs could continue. Because exports remain well below the ¥5 trillion 2030 target, the government may continue or intensify funding for export promotion, market-access negotiations, and buyer-support programs throughout this decade. International buyers could find a wider range of government-facilitated matching and promotional services available compared with earlier periods.

• Fishery products may offer expanded sourcing options. Fishery products grew 19.5% in H1 2026 — the fastest of any category. Buyers sourcing seafood, particularly yellowtail and scallops, might find more Japanese exporters actively engaged in outreach. JFOODO, a government-established center within JETRO, runs promotion campaigns for selected products in markets set by government strategy (for example, Japanese seafood in Taiwan, Hong Kong and the United States).

• Green tea’s trajectory may indicate a structural category shift. Green tea nearly doubled in full-year 2025 and remained the top growth driver in H1 2026. Overseas retailers and food-service operators that source Japanese green tea may wish to look at JETRO’s free Supporter Store certification (see below), which allows certified overseas restaurants and stores to use a certification logo.

• The US market’s growth warrants monitoring alongside tariff policy. The United States grew 15.3% in H1 2026. International buyers sourcing Japanese food products destined for the US market should monitor tariff classification for specific product lines; tariff liability depends on the HS/HTS classification and applicable trade programs and should be confirmed with a licensed customs broker. This article does not constitute legal, tax, or customs advice.

Note: the H1 2026 figures are preliminary and may be revised upward or downward when MAFF issues the final release.

Where to learn more

Primary sources (Japanese-language):

• MAFF H1 2026 Preliminary Export Figures Press Release (4 August 2026)
• JETRO Biznews: H1 2026 First-Half Record
• MAFF 2025 Full-Year Export Figures Press Release (3 February 2026)
• JETRO Biznews: 2025 Full-Year Record
• MAFF Export Expansion Strategy Progress and Targets

Public programs (check who each is for):

• JETRO Agri-Food Export Support (English) — describes how JETRO helps Japanese companies export food, including responding to inquiries from overseas buyers; the services are designed for Japanese exporters.
• GFP Community Site — MAFF (Japanese) — MAFF’s export community connecting Japanese producers and food businesses with export trading companies, buyers and logistics firms; registration requires agreeing to its terms, and overseas businesses should check the terms for eligibility.
• Japanese Food and Ingredient Supporter Stores Overseas Certification — JETRO (English) — free two-year certification (renewable) for overseas restaurants, retailers, and online shops that carry authentic Japanese food products; applications accepted online.
• JFOODO — About the Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Center (English) — promotes selected Japanese food products (such as seafood, Wagyu, green tea, rice and sake) in target markets; local field marketers provide information to businesses and support participation in JFOODO promotions by retailers and restaurants.