In 2022, the Japanese fresh vegetable market was estimated at 13.6 million metric tons (MMT) of which around 5 percent came from imports. In 2023, Japan imported 621,696 MT of fresh vegetables, led by onion, pepper, and pumpkin/squash. The United States ranked 4th (after China, South Korea, and Mexico) in fresh vegetable exports to Japan at $52 million in 2023. By volume, the United States ranked 2nd after China with 46,309 MT. The United States is the leading supplier of chipping potatoes, chicory, witloof chicory, and celery. The United States is the sole foreign supplier of fresh potatoes for chipping use in Japan.
The Japanese fresh vegetable sector is largely self-sufficient for domestically produced varieties, with minimal consumer demand for non-traditional vegetable varieties. U.S. fresh vegetable exports to Japan are not expected to see significant growth due to slowing consumption and overall population decline.
The U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement (USJTA), which entered into force on January 1, 2020, improved tariff access for many vegetable products. More information on the USJTA tariff treatment on fresh vegetables is provided in the Fresh and Frozen Vegetables and Potatoes and Potato Products product briefs or by using the Agricultural Tariff Tracker.
Domestic vegetable production
In 2022, Japan produced 12.9 MMT* of fresh vegetables, according to Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). Vegetable production by volume was led by potatoes (17.7%), followed by cabbage (11.3%), onion (9.4%), and Japanese radish (9.1%).
*MAFF's vegetable production data includes strawberries, melons, and watermelons, which are categorized as vegetables. ATO Osaka calculated the total domestic production of fresh vegetables by subtracting these three products from MAFF's "vegetable production data" and adding sweet potato production, which was also excluded from the original data.
Fresh vegetable production in Japan has been declining, falling below 13 MMT in 2021 and 2022. This is mainly due to the shrinking number of vegetable farmer households in Japan - which dropped from 370,000 in 2015 to just 270,000 in 2020 (-27%). These trends are expected to continue.
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Source: fas.usda.gov