While Japan's iconic Wagyu beef sets a global luxury standard, the nation's broader meat industry in 2022 tells a story of a tightening domestic market—from an aging farming workforce pushing beef production down 1.2% to a reliance on imports for over half its beef and three-quarters of its pork—all while consumer demand evolves and a weak yen fuels a 20% surge in high-end meat exports.
Key Takeaways
- Japan's domestic beef production in fiscal year 2022 was 292,000 metric tons carcass weight, down 1.2% from the previous year due to aging farmers and high feed costs.
- Pork production in Japan for 2022 totaled 1.23 million metric tons carcass weight, representing 52% of total meat supply.
- Chicken meat production reached 1.56 million metric tons in 2022, with broiler output increasing by 2.5% year-on-year.
- Japan's annual per capita pork consumption was 23.5 kg in 2022, highest among meats.
- Beef consumption totaled 650,000 tons in 2022, up 1.5% YoY driven by dining out recovery.
- Chicken consumption reached 860,000 tons in 2022, 30% of total meat intake.
- Japan's beef imports in 2022 totaled 558,000 metric tons carcass weight equivalent, up 5.2% YoY.
- Pork imports reached 930,000 tons in 2022, 76% of domestic supply.
- Chicken meat imports were 240,000 tons in 2022, mainly frozen legs from Brazil.
- Japan exported 45,000 tons of beef in 2022, mainly high-end Wagyu to Hong Kong.
- Pork exports totaled 120,000 tons in 2022, up 25% YoY to Asia.
- Chicken meat exports reached 80,000 tons in 2022, primarily to Vietnam and Philippines.
- Japan's meat industry market size was 5.2 trillion yen in 2022.
- Beef retail price averaged 3,200 yen/kg in 2022.
- Pork wholesale price was 550 yen/kg in Tokyo market 2022 average.
Japan's meat industry faces declining production but remains strong through domestic output and large imports.
Consumption
- Japan's annual per capita pork consumption was 23.5 kg in 2022, highest among meats.
- Beef consumption totaled 650,000 tons in 2022, up 1.5% YoY driven by dining out recovery.
- Chicken consumption reached 860,000 tons in 2022, 30% of total meat intake.
- Total meat consumption per capita was 51.2 kg in 2022, excluding fish.
- Processed pork products consumption was 8.5 kg per capita in 2022.
- Wagyu beef retail consumption estimated at 35,000 tons in 2022.
- Household beef consumption share was 55% of total in 2022.
- Foodservice sector chicken consumption surged 15% to 400,000 tons in 2022 post-COVID.
- Per capita horse meat consumption was 0.3 kg in 2022, mainly in Kyushu.
- Duck consumption totaled 20,000 tons, popular in Chinese cuisine segments.
- Processed meat products market consumed 1.2 million tons in 2022.
- BBQ and grilled meat events drove 50,000 tons extra beef consumption in summer 2022.
- Elderly population (65+) consumed 25% less red meat per capita at 15 kg in 2022.
- Urban vs rural per capita meat consumption gap was 52 kg vs 48 kg in 2022.
- Chicken nugget and processed chicken consumption hit 150,000 tons in 2022.
- Pork belly (samgyeopsal) consumption rose 10% to 120,000 tons influenced by K-food trends.
- Beef tongue (gyutan) consumption in Sendai area was 5,000 tons annually in 2022.
- Total poultry consumption including turkey was 900,000 tons in 2022.
- Vegetarian/vegan meat alternatives displaced 10,000 tons traditional meat in 2022.
- Holiday season (Obon/Golden Week) boosted meat consumption by 8% in 2022.
- Per capita lamb/mutton consumption was 0.1 kg, mostly imported for hotpot.
- Convenience store bento meat content averaged 40g per unit, 500 million units sold in 2022.
- School lunch programs served 1.2 million tons meat equivalent to 12 million students in 2022.
- Hotel buffet meat consumption totaled 30,000 tons in 2022.
- Online grocery meat sales grew 20% to 100,000 tons in 2022.
Consumption Interpretation
While Japan's meat scene is a complex landscape of pork dominance, chicken ubiquity, and seasonal beef binges, it's ultimately a story of cultural nuance where convenience store bentos, K-food trends, and even hotpot lamb carve out their own distinct niches alongside the revered Wagyu.
Exports
- Japan exported 45,000 tons of beef in 2022, mainly high-end Wagyu to Hong Kong.
- Pork exports totaled 120,000 tons in 2022, up 25% YoY to Asia.
- Chicken meat exports reached 80,000 tons in 2022, primarily to Vietnam and Philippines.
- Wagyu beef export value was 100 billion yen in 2022.
- Processed meat products exports hit 50,000 tons in 2022.
- Hong Kong imported 70% of Japan's beef exports at 31,000 tons in 2022.
- US received 10,000 tons Japanese pork in 2022.
- Taiwan chicken imports from Japan 20,000 tons in 2022.
- EU exported Japanese beef totaled 5,000 tons premium cuts in 2022.
- Singapore took 15% of pork exports at 18,000 tons in 2022.
- Export growth rate for meat was 20% in 2022 due to weak yen.
- Frozen chicken exports to Southeast Asia 40,000 tons in 2022.
- Wagyu semen exports for breeding numbered 10,000 doses in 2022.
- Total meat export value 250 billion yen in 2022.
- China mainland beef imports from Japan 8,000 tons in 2022.
- Thailand pork imports 12,000 tons from Japan in 2022.
- Processed ham/sausage exports to US 5,000 tons in 2022.
- Beef export farms certified numbered 500 in 2022.
- Poultry export halal certified volume 10,000 tons to Muslim markets in 2022.
- Export share of production was 2% for beef, 10% for pork in 2022.
- Korea imported 25,000 tons Japanese chicken in 2022.
- Meat export promotion budget was 5 billion yen in FY2022.
Exports Interpretation
While Japan's meat exports are still a modest slice of its domestic production, the world is clearly developing a taste for its luxury beef, versatile pork, and convenient poultry, with Asia leading the charge and a weak yen giving the whole endeavor a flavorful boost.
Imports
- Japan's beef imports in 2022 totaled 558,000 metric tons carcass weight equivalent, up 5.2% YoY.
- Pork imports reached 930,000 tons in 2022, 76% of domestic supply.
- Chicken meat imports were 240,000 tons in 2022, mainly frozen legs from Brazil.
- Australia supplied 52% of Japan's beef imports at 290,000 tons in 2022.
- US beef exports to Japan hit 220,000 tons in 2022 under USJTA.
- Brazil pork imports to Japan were 150,000 tons in 2022.
- EU beef imports totaled 45,000 tons in 2022, limited by quotas.
- Frozen chicken imports from Thailand reached 80,000 tons in 2022.
- Canada's share of Japan pork imports was 12% at 110,000 tons in 2022.
- New Zealand lamb imports were 15,000 tons in 2022 for premium markets.
- China supplied 20,000 tons offal and variety meats to Japan in 2022.
- Import value of beef was 1.8 trillion yen in 2022.
- Pork import tariffs averaged 4.3% under CPTPP for Japan in 2022.
- Boneless beef import volume from US was 150,000 tons in 2022.
- Denmark bacon imports totaled 25,000 tons in 2022.
- Mexico's pork exports to Japan grew to 30,000 tons in 2022.
- India buffalo meat imports were negligible at 500 tons under health checks in 2022.
- Total meat import dependency was 60% for beef, 75% for pork in 2022.
- Chilled beef imports doubled to 50,000 tons in 2022 from premium suppliers.
- Poultry imports value reached 150 billion yen in 2022.
- Argentina beef under quota was 38,000 tons in 2022.
- Spain ham imports (jamon) were 10,000 tons in 2022.
- Vietnam frozen chicken paws exports to Japan 12,000 tons in 2022.
- Total beef import CIF price averaged 2,500 yen/kg in 2022.
- Pork imports from EU under EPPA quota 50,000 tons in 2022.
Imports Interpretation
Japan is running a sophisticated, high-stakes global meat deli counter where Australia holds the prime rib, America flexes its steakhouse muscles, Brazil’s pork and poultry pile high, and everyone else is vying for a coveted slice of the nation’s ever-expanding platter.
Industry Economics
- Japan's meat industry market size was 5.2 trillion yen in 2022.
- Beef retail price averaged 3,200 yen/kg in 2022.
- Pork wholesale price was 550 yen/kg in Tokyo market 2022 average.
- Chicken breast price reached 450 yen/kg retail in 2022.
- Total meat processing employment was 250,000 workers in 2022.
- Wagyu auction prices averaged 20,000 yen/kg for A5 in 2022.
- Feed cost index for livestock rose 25% to 45,000 yen/ton in 2022.
- Meat industry R&D investment was 100 billion yen in 2022.
- Number of meat wholesalers was 15,000 in 2022.
- Supermarket meat sales volume 1.5 million tons in 2022.
- Profit margin for pork processors averaged 3.5% in 2022.
- Beef import substitution cost premium 20% over domestic in 2022.
- Chicken production farm income averaged 10 million yen/farm in 2022.
- Meat cold chain logistics market 500 billion yen in 2022.
- Veterinary service costs for livestock 200 billion yen in 2022.
- E-commerce meat sales share reached 5% of total in 2022.
- Food safety inspection labs for meat numbered 100 in 2022.
- Antibiotic use reduction in meat production 30% by 2022 targets.
- Carbon footprint of Japanese beef production 25 kg CO2/kg meat in 2022.
- Sustainability certified meat sales 100,000 tons in 2022.
- Labor shortage in slaughterhouses 20% vacancy rate in 2022.
- Traceability systems implemented on 90% of beef farms by 2022.
- Insurance premiums for livestock averaged 50,000 yen/head in 2022.
- Export certification costs 10 million yen per facility in 2022.
- Meat waste generation 300,000 tons annually in 2022.
- Halal meat processing plants 20 in Japan serving exports in 2022.
- Industry association membership 5,000 farms/processors in 2022.
- Government subsidies for meat production 300 billion yen in FY2022.
Industry Economics Interpretation
In the grand theater of Japan's meat industry, where Wagyu struts at ¥20,000 a kilo and feed costs steal the show with a 25% spike, 250,000 workers are juggling razor-thin profit margins, soaring logistics, and a 20% labor shortage backstage, all to put a modest 450-yen chicken breast on a supermarket shelf that sees 1.5 million tons of volume, while the industry itself quietly funnels 100 billion yen into R&D and 300 billion in subsidies just to keep this complex, high-stakes, and increasingly sustainable production from going off the rails.
Production
- Japan's domestic beef production in fiscal year 2022 was 292,000 metric tons carcass weight, down 1.2% from the previous year due to aging farmers and high feed costs.
- Pork production in Japan for 2022 totaled 1.23 million metric tons carcass weight, representing 52% of total meat supply.
- Chicken meat production reached 1.56 million metric tons in 2022, with broiler output increasing by 2.5% year-on-year.
- Wagyu beef production in 2021 was 26,000 tons, primarily from Hyogo and Mie prefectures.
- Japan's total meat production in FY2022 was 2.89 million metric tons, a 1.1% decline from FY2021.
- Dairy cow slaughter for beef yielded 120,000 tons in 2022, accounting for 41% of domestic beef supply.
- Pig slaughter numbers in 2022 were 12.5 million heads, with average carcass weight of 98 kg.
- Broiler chicken production facilities numbered 1,200 in 2022, producing 1.4 billion birds annually.
- Hokkaido prefecture produced 25% of Japan's total pork in 2022, at 307,000 tons.
- Miyazaki prefecture led in Wagyu production with 4,500 tons in 2021.
- Japan's beef cow inventory was 2.64 million heads as of 2022, down 2.3% YoY.
- Sow inventory stood at 610,000 heads in 2022, supporting pork output stability.
- Layer hen population was 180 million in 2022, indirectly supporting meat production via culls.
- Feedlot capacity for beef cattle reached 1.2 million heads in major regions by 2022.
- Organic meat production was limited to 5,000 tons in 2022, mainly chicken and pork.
- Japan's per capita beef production equivalent was 2.3 kg in 2022.
- Duck meat production totaled 15,000 tons in 2022, mostly from Aomori prefecture.
- Horse meat production was 2,100 tons in 2022, centered in Kumamoto.
- Total livestock slaughterhouses numbered 250 in 2022, processing 25 million animals.
- Beef grading A4/A5 ratio was 45% in 2022 for domestic production.
- Pork production costs averaged 450 yen/kg carcass weight in 2022.
- Chicken production efficiency improved to 1.85 kg meat per bird in 2022.
- Kagoshima prefecture produced 18% of national chicken meat at 280,000 tons in 2022.
- Breeding sow replacements numbered 120,000 in 2022.
- Calf production for beef was 850,000 heads in 2022.
- Poultry meat processing plants output 1.7 million tons including by-products in 2022.
- Venison production from deer culling was 1,200 tons in 2022.
- Emu meat production remained niche at 50 tons annually in 2022.
- Total meat self-sufficiency rate was 48% in FY2022.
- Beef production farms numbered 22,000 in 2022, average herd size 120 cows.
Production Interpretation
Japan's meat industry presents a paradox of decline and precision, where pork and poultry shoulder the nation's appetite as its prized beef sector grapples with an aging farmer population and rising costs, leaving Wagyu as the exceptional but shrinking jewel in a crown of efficient production.
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