Japan's agricultural, fisheries and forestry product exports rose 2.9 percent in 2023 to a record 1.45 trillion yen ($9.9 billion), with increased shipment to the United States and Hong Kong making up for a decline in sales to mainland China, government data showed Tuesday.
Despite rising for the 11th consecutive year, growth was heavily blunted compared to 2022's rise of 14.2 percent, hampered by China's import ban on Japanese marine products over the discharge of treated radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, according to the data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Sales of pearls surged 92.0 percent, as demand in Hong Kong notably grew after a trade fair was held there in spring, with green tea seeing a 33.3 percent rise, supported by increasing demand in the United States and Europe, according to the ministry.
Scallop exports declined, especially to mainland China, prompting the Japanese government to encourage diversification of sales routes away from China.
Exports in the second half of the year fell 2.9 percent compared to the same period in 2022 due to China's ban.
The Japanese government is helping businesses establish new sales routes and strengthen their supply systems, with the aim of meeting its target of raising annual agricultural and seafood exports to 2 trillion yen by 2025 and to 5 trillion yen by 2030.
