Japan’s Beef Exports Reach Record High for Second Straight Year

United States Is Top Destination

The value of Japan’s beef exports rose by 12% year on year to ¥64.8 billion in 2024. This was 2.2 times greater than the total in 2019, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. In the period from January to May of 2025, exports remained robust, at ¥26.6 billion, which is a 15% increase over the same period the previous year.

In 2024, the volume of Japan’s beef exports was 10,826 tons, a year-on-year increase of 22%. Meanwhile, in 2025, exports totaled 4,469 tons for the period from January to the end of May, which is a 24% increase over the same period the previous year.

As the tables show, the United States, Taiwan, and Hong Kong accounted for a large portion of beef exports, in terms of both value and volume, reflecting the strong interest among their consumers for wagyū.

The Japanese government has set a target of beef exports totaling ¥113.2 billion in 2030.

Data Sources

• Data on livestock exports (Japanese) from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries.
• Data on strategies for expanding exports of agricultural and other products (Japanese) from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries.

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)