Record rise for Japan’s exports

Japan’s agricultural and seafood exports in the first six months of 2022 rose by a record 13.1 per cent from the previous year.

The government attributed the rise to more people eating out as fears over the coronavirus pandemic subsided.

Exports in the January-June period totalled 652.5 billion yen, with shipments to the United States and the weaker yen being factors, according to the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

Exports of scallops climbed 67.8 per cent to 38.7 billion yen, while yellowtail sales rose 64.5 per cent to 20.9 billion yen.

Japanese sake exports increased 33.7 per cent to 23.4 billion yen, lifted by online shopping. Exports of strawberries to Asia increased by 29.7 per cent.

Beef exports, however, fell 5.2 per cent to 21.4 billion yen after the United States raised tariffs sharply on Japanese shipments in late March.

China was the biggest buyer of Japanese agricultural exports with a 18.0 per cent increase to 120.1 billion yen, followed by the United States, up 34.5 per cent to 104.6 billion yen.

Shipments to Hong Kong fell 10.9 per cent to 91.7 billion yen following a surge of Covid-19 cases.