Japan's exports of agricultural, forestry, fishery and food products in 2024 hit a record high for the 12th consecutive year, according to Jiji Press.
The exports totaled 1.51 trillion yen, up 3.7% from the year before, according to the data.
Robust exports to the United States and other countries more than made up for a plunge in shipments to China, which put a blanket ban on imports of fishery products from Japan in response to the discharge of tritium-containing treated water into the sea from Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings' disaster-crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan.
The United States was the biggest food export destination for Japan, with shipments totaling 242.9 billion yen, up 17.8%, supported by Japan's efforts to diversify scallop export markets following China's fishery import ban.
Exports to Taiwan grew 11.2% to 170.3 billion yen, as apples drew popularity for use as gifts and shipments of scallops increased.
China-bound food exports stood at 168.1 billion yen, down 29.1%.
Exports to Hong Kong dipped 6.6% to 221 billion yen.
By product, the exports of sauces and mixed seasonings, including curry roux and mayonnaise, jumped 15.9%, reflecting the growing popularity of Japanese dishes. Green tea exports increased 24.6%, pushed up by increased health consciousness.
The Japanese government has set a target to increase its agricultural, forestry, fishery and food exports to 2 trillion yen in 2025. The outlook for reaching the goal is unclear, with an additional 500 billion yen or so needed on top of the level achieved in 2024.
