MARKET ACCESS SECRETARIAT

Global Analysis Report

Inside Japan
The Fish and Seafood Trade

April 2015

TRADE SUMMARY* CONTENTS

Japan is the second-largest fish and seafood importer in the world Trade Summary .............................. 1
and the top market in all of Asia. Japan’s fish and seafood import
market was valued at C$16.2 billion in 2013, a decrease of 11.8% Canadian Performance .................. 2
from 2012. Japan’s supply is quite diversified, with fish and seafood
products imported from 123 different countries. Japan’s top Consumption Trends ...................... 2
suppliers in 2013 were China (with a 17.9% share), Chile (8.2%),
Thailand (8.1%), Russia (7.8%), and the United States (7.8%). By the Numbers .............................. 3

In 2013, Japan’s primary fish and seafood imports included Top Ten Fish and Seafood
frozen shrimp and prawns (C$2.0 billion), prepared or preserved Suppliers to Japan in 2013 ............. 4
shrimp and prawns (C$794 million), frozen skipjack/stripe-bellied
bonito tuna fillets (C$644 million), frozen fish (C$543 million), and Market Sizes ................................... 5
frozen fish fillets (C$533 million). Imports from Canada were valued
at C$427.5 million. Distribution Channels ..................... 5

For More Information ...................... 6

Japan’s exports of fish and seafood in 2013 were valued at
C$2.1 billion, an increase of 11.9% from the previous year. Japan’s Resources ...................................... 6
leading exports were frozen, dried, or salted molluscs
(C$407 million), prepared or preserved sea cucumbers
(C$240 million), prepared or preserved scallops (C$149 million),
frozen mackerel (C$125 million), and frozen fish (C$105 million).
Top export destinations were Hong Kong with a 25.8% share, the
United States with 13.4%, and China with 12.8%.

Visit our online library of public

reports for more information on this
and other markets.
*numbers in the trade summary section came from Global Trade Atlas (GTA), 2014
CANADIAN PERFORMANCE

Canada was the 12th-largest supplier of fish and seafood to Japan, with sales of C$427.5 million in 2013
(based on Japanese import data). This represents a decrease of 13.4% from 2012 resulting from a
decline in imports from Canada of frozen crab, fresh salmon fillets, frozen shrimp, frozen fish liver and
roe, and clams. The leading products imported from Canada in 2013 included frozen crab
(C$92.6 million), frozen cold-water shrimp (C$74.0 million), dried, smoked, or salted fish liver and roe
(C$38.7 million), frozen fish liver and roe (C$23.9 million), and frozen lobster (C$22.1 million)
(Global Trade Atlas, 2014).

Japan was Canada’s third-most important market for fish and seafood, and received approximately 5.4%
of Canada’s fish and seafood exports in 2013. Overall, fish and seafood was Canada’s ninth-most
significant export sector to Japan, and represented 2.2% of all Canadian merchandise exports to Japan in
2013 (Global Trade Atlas, 2014).

CONSUMPTION TRENDS

Per capita consumption of fish and seafood in Japan declined from approximately 40 kg in 2007 to 33 kg
in 2012, due in part to a rise in consumption of meat and dairy products (Euromonitor International, 2014).

Other factors responsible for the decline in per capita consumption include consumer food safety
concerns following the Fukushima nuclear power plant meltdown and reduced fishing capacity caused by
the earthquake and tsunami. The declining population and changing lifestyles may explain the declining
consumption (Euromonitor International, 2014).

An article in World Fishing & Aquaculture, March 24, 2013, entitled “Japan seeks to boost seafood
consumption,” expounds on the efforts of both the Japanese government and the fishing industry to
reverse the meat consumption trend in favour of increasing fish and seafood in the Japanese diet. To that
end, the fish processing industry is trying to develop innovative products that are easier to prepare.

Japan is a major importer of a number of premium seafood products which Canada has to offer, such as
shrimp, salmon, scallops and lobster (Global Trade Atlas, 2014). Consumer-ready products that are
convenient and easy to prepare and eat would be welcomed in Japan, which has traditionally been known
for its high per capita consumption of fish and seafood.

Page | 2
BY THE NUMBERS
Top Ten Suppliers of Fish and Seafood to Japan
and Top Imported Products in 2013 (Based on Japanese Import Data)

Total Import Value Top Import Value

Rank Country Top Import Supplied
(C$) (C$)

World 16,216,071,898 Frozen shrimp and prawns 2,005,336,606

1 China 2,902,009,905 Prepared / preserved fish, whole or pieces 398,796,241

2 Chile 1,324,591,696 Frozen Pacific salmon 413,883,557

3 Thailand 1,319,508,050 Prepared/preserved shrimp and prawns 415,546,586

4 Russia 1,267,752,394 Frozen fish liver and roe 256,130,789

5 United States 1,267,172,355 Frozen Alaska Pollock 245,594,480

6 Vietnam 957,364,825 Frozen shrimp and prawns 445,129,932

7 Indonesia 890,473,634 Frozen shrimp and prawns 423,460,954

8 South Korea 857,751,008 Frozen tuna fillets/skipjack/stripe-bellied bonito 143,377,312

9 Norway 819,672,863 Fresh/chilled Atlantic and Danube salmon 188,471,059

10 Taiwan 456,580,194 Frozen big eye tuna 242,591,497

Source: Global Trade Atlas, 2014.

Top Ten Japanese Fish and Seafood Imports from the World in 2013

Rank Top Imports Import Value (C$)

1 Frozen shrimp and prawns 2,005,336,606

2 Prepared/preserved shrimp and prawns 794,448,837
3 Frozen skipjack/stripe-bellied bonito tuna fillets 643,706,293
4 Frozen fish 542,766,041
5 Frozen fish fillets 533,438,713
6 Frozen fish meat 520,480,280
7 Prepared/preserved fish, whole or pieces 506,579,193
8 Frozen fish liver and roe 500,107,506
9 Live eels 497,751,335
10 Frozen big eye tuna 487,038,239
Source: Global Trade Atlas, 2014.

Page | 3
 TOP TEN FISH AND SEAFOOD SUPPLIERS TO JAPAN IN 2013
The figures listed below are in Canadian dollars.

1. Imports from China 2. Imports from Chile

Prepared/preserved fish, whole or pieces $398.8M Frozen Pacific salmon $413.9M

Non-minced prepared/preserved eels $248.9M Frozen trout fillets $383.3M

Prepared/preserved molluscs $200.6M Frozen trout $126.8M

Frozen Pacific, Atlantic and Danube salmon
Prepared/preserved crab $166.2M $93.3M
fillets
Live eels $151.8M Sea urchins $59.9M
3. Imports from Thailand 4. Imports from Russia

Prepared/preserved shrimp and prawns $415.5M Frozen fish liver and roe $256.1M
Frozen shrimp and prawns $222.5M Frozen crab $238.3M
Non-minced prepared/preserved
$210.1M Frozen sockeye salmon $196.8M
skipjack/bonito tuna
Frozen fish meat, except steaks and fillets $121.1M Frozen fish $102.4M
Frozen/dried/salted cuttlefish and squid $77.6M Frozen cold-water shrimp and prawns $96.4M
5. Imports from the United States 6. Imports from Vietnam
Frozen Alaska pollock, except fillets $245.6M Frozen shrimp and prawns $445.1M
Frozen fish liver and roe $203.9M Prepared/preserved shrimp and prawns $214.0M
Frozen fish $183.1M Frozen/dried/salted cuttlefish and squid $40.4M
Frozen crab $87.3M Frozen fish meat, except steaks and fillets $33.7M
Dried/smoked/salted fish liver and roe $68.0M Prepared/preserved fish, whole or pieces $28.1M
7. Imports from Indonesia 8. Imports from South Korea
Frozen skipjack/stripe-bellied bonito tuna
Frozen shrimp and prawns $423.5M $143.4M
fillets
Non-minced prepared/preserved
$66.0M Live fish $65.8M
skipjack/bonito tuna
Fresh/chilled big eye tuna $65.0M Seaweeds for human consumption $64.0M
Prepared/preserved shrimp and prawns $63.4M Frozen big eye tuna $53.9M
Fresh/chilled yellow fin tuna $37.4M Live, fresh or chilled abalone $52.3M
9. Imports from Norway 10. Imports from Taiwan

Fresh/chilled Atlantic and Danube salmon $188.5M Frozen big eye tuna $242.6M
Frozen fish fillets $171.9M Frozen yellow fin tuna $59.7M
Frozen mackerel $121.0M Live eels $33.3M
Fresh/chilled Pacific, Atlantic and Danube
$89.8M Frozen albacore/long finned tuna $28.3M
salmon fillets
Frozen fish meat, except steaks and fillets $86.1M Frozen swordfish $12.4M
Source: Global Trade Atlas, 2014.

Page | 4
MARKET SIZES

With a traditional diet favouring fish and seafood and a population of 127 million, Japan is a major market
for fish and seafood products. Euromonitor International reports that Japanese per capita consumption of
fish and seafood was 33 kg in 2012.

Historic Fresh Fish and Seafood Volume Sales in Japan by Segment in ’000 Tonnes

CAGR*
Category 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
2007-2012
Molluscs & cephalopods 1,127.6 1,088.6 1,071.8 1,018.4 914.7 885.7 -4.7%
Crustaceans 627.6 601.5 588.5 570.8 536.6 528.5 -3.4%
Fish 3,296.4 3,195.4 3,054.4 2,978.7 2,740.4 2,822.6 -3.1%
Total 5,051.6 4,885.4 4,714.7 4,567.9 4,191.7 4,236.8 -3.5%
Source: Euromonitor, 2014. Please note: Volume sales for the fresh fish and seafood market include both foodservice and retail
sales. Any slight discrepancies in column totals are due to rounding. *CAGR = compound annual growth rate

Forecast Fresh Fish and Seafood Volume Sales in Japan by Segment in ’000 Tonnes

F F F F F CAGR*
Category 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 F
2012-2017
Molluscs & cephalopods 885.7 862.0 834.3 804.7 774.1 748.3 -3.3%
Fish 2,822.6 2,794.4 2,732.9 2,650.9 2,576.7 2,512.2 -2.3%
Crustaceans 528.5 518.0 506.6 496.4 485.0 472.4 -2.2%
Total 4,236.8 4,174.3 4,073.8 3,952.0 3,835.8 3,733.0 -2.5%
Source: Euromonitor, 2014. Please note: Volume sales for the fresh fish and seafood market include both foodservice and retail
sales. Any slight discrepancies in column totals are due to rounding. *CAGR = compound annual growth rate

DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS
The foodservice channel accounts for 48% of fresh fish and seafood sales in Japan, followed by the
retail channel with 35%. This shows the importance of the foodservice sector for fish and seafood
consumption in Japan. Imported products such as shrimp and salmon are in heavy demand by the food
service sector (Food Export Association of the Midwest USA, Japan Country Profile).

Distribution of Fresh Fish and Seafood Sales in Japan

– Percentage % Breakdown Based on Volume Sales

Channel 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Foodservice 48.1 47.9 47.9 47.9 48.0 48.0
Retail 34.8 35.0 35.0 35.0 35.0 35.0
Institutional 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.0 17.0
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Source: Euromonitor, 2014.

Page | 5
FOR MORE INFORMATION
International Trade Commissioners can provide Canadian industry with on-the-ground expertise
regarding market potential, current conditions and local business contacts, and are an excellent point of
contact for export advice.

 Overview of Trade Commissioner Services in Japan

http://www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/e-f/jp/index.htm

 Find a Trade Commissioner

www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/eng/find-trade-contacts.jsp

For additional intelligence on this and other markets, the complete library of Global Analysis reports can
be found under Statistics and Market Information at the following link, arranged by sector and region of
interest:

 ats-sea.agr.gc.ca

For additional information on China Fisheries and Seafood Exposition, please contact:

 Ben Berry
Deputy Director
Trade Show Strategy and Delivery
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
[email protected]

RESOURCES
Euromonitor International, 2014

Euromonitor International, 2014 – Report on Fish and Seafood in Japan

Food Export Association of the Midwest USA, Japan Country Profile, retrieved October 8, 2014 from:
https://www.foodexport.org/Resources/CountryProfileDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=1016

Global Trade Atlas, 2014

World Fishing & Aquaculture, Japan seeks to boost seafood consumption, March 24, 2013, retrieved
October 7, 2014 from: http://www.worldfishing.net/news101/regional-focus/japan-seeks-to-boost-seafood-
consumption

Page | 6
Inside Japan: The Fish and Seafood Trade
Global Analysis Report

Prepared by: Karen Guilbault, Data Analyst

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada,

represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food (2015).

Photo Credits
All photographs reproduced in this publication are used by permission of the rights holders.
All images, unless otherwise noted, are copyright Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada.

For additional copies, to request an alternate format, and for all other inquiries regarding this publication,
please contact:
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Global Analysis Division
1341 Baseline Road, Tower 5, 4th floor
Ottawa, ON
Canada K1A 0C5
E-mail: [email protected]

The Government of Canada has prepared this report based on primary and secondary sources of
information. Although every effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate, Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) assumes no liability for any actions taken based on the information
contained herein.

Reproduction or redistribution of this document, in whole or in part, must include acknowledgement of

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada as the owner of the copyright in the document, through a reference
citing AAFC, the title of the document and the year. Where the reproduction or redistribution includes data
from this document, it must also include an acknowledgement of the specific data source(s), as noted in
this document.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada provides this document and other report services to agriculture and
food industry clients free of charge.

Page | 7