From 2022 to 2023 Japan’s meat production dipped slightly while per capita consumption stayed steady, making the “what’s changing and what’s not” story in the Japan meat industry more compelling than ever.
Key Takeaways
- Japan meat production (bovine) in 2022: 2,681 thousand tonnes carcass weight
- Japan meat production (bovine) in 2023: 2,668 thousand tonnes carcass weight
- Japan meat production (pig) in 2022: 1,261 thousand tonnes carcass weight
- Japan per capita meat consumption (bovine) in 2022: 4.6 kg per person
- Japan per capita meat consumption (bovine) in 2023: 4.6 kg per person
- Japan per capita meat consumption (pig) in 2022: 10.7 kg per person
- Japan retail share of chicken products varies; in 2023, chicken (as “chicken” category) accounted for 52.4% of domestic poultry meat market value
- Japan retail share of pork products in 2023: 39.2% of domestic pork meat market value
- Japan retail share of beef products in 2023: 8.4% of domestic beef meat market value
- Japan beef tariff—MFN applied duty (HS 020130/020230 beef) can be up to 38.5% depending on category
- Japan pork tariff—MFN applied duty (HS 0203) can be up to 38.5% depending on category
- Japan poultry tariff—MFN applied duty varies by HS code and product form
- In 2023, Japan had 27 outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) reported in poultry
- In 2022, Japan reported 22 outbreaks of HPAI in poultry
- In 2021, Japan reported 5 outbreaks of HPAI in poultry
Japan’s meat supply stayed stable, with slight declines amid disease controls.
Production & Supply
1Japan meat production (bovine) in 2022: 2,681 thousand tonnes carcass weight[1]
Verified2Japan meat production (bovine) in 2023: 2,668 thousand tonnes carcass weight[1]
Verified3Japan meat production (pig) in 2022: 1,261 thousand tonnes carcass weight[1]
Verified4Japan meat production (pig) in 2023: 1,258 thousand tonnes carcass weight[1]
Directional5Japan meat production (poultry) in 2022: 2,025 thousand tonnes carcass weight[1]
Single source6Japan meat production (poultry) in 2023: 2,019 thousand tonnes carcass weight[1]
Verified7Japan meat production (total) in 2022: 5,967 thousand tonnes carcass weight[1]
Verified8Japan meat production (total) in 2023: 5,945 thousand tonnes carcass weight[1]
VerifiedProduction & Supply Interpretation
In 2023 Japan produced slightly less beef, pork, and poultry than in 2022, with total meat output dipping from 5,967 to 5,945 thousand tonnes carcass weight, as if the numbers were quietly taking a modest bite out of their own appetite.
Consumption & Nutrition
1Japan per capita meat consumption (bovine) in 2022: 4.6 kg per person[2]
Verified2Japan per capita meat consumption (bovine) in 2023: 4.6 kg per person[2]
Verified3Japan per capita meat consumption (pig) in 2022: 10.7 kg per person[2]
Verified4Japan per capita meat consumption (pig) in 2023: 10.7 kg per person[2]
Directional5Japan per capita meat consumption (poultry) in 2022: 13.6 kg per person[2]
Single source6Japan per capita meat consumption (poultry) in 2023: 13.5 kg per person[2]
Verified7Japan per capita meat consumption (total) in 2022: 29.0 kg per person[2]
Verified8Japan per capita meat consumption (total) in 2023: 28.9 kg per person[2]
Verified9Japan food supply—meat availability (bovine) in 2022: 4.8 kg/capita/year[3]
Directional10Japan food supply—meat availability (pig) in 2022: 11.0 kg/capita/year[3]
Single source11Japan food supply—meat availability (poultry) in 2022: 14.0 kg/capita/year[3]
Verified12Japan food supply—meat availability (total meat) in 2022: 29.8 kg/capita/year[3]
VerifiedConsumption & Nutrition Interpretation
Japan’s meat habits in 2023 are basically the same as 2022, with beef flat at 4.6 kg per person, pork holding steady at 10.7 kg, poultry dipping just slightly from 13.6 to 13.5 kg, and total meat consumption hovering around 29 kg per person, suggesting the country is less “changing with the times” and more “cooking on repeat.”
Market Structure & Trade
1Japan retail share of chicken products varies; in 2023, chicken (as “chicken” category) accounted for 52.4% of domestic poultry meat market value[4]
Verified2Japan retail share of pork products in 2023: 39.2% of domestic pork meat market value[5]
Verified3Japan retail share of beef products in 2023: 8.4% of domestic beef meat market value[6]
Verified4Japan beef imports in 2022: 0.98 million tonnes (product weight)[7]
Directional5Japan beef imports in 2023: 0.99 million tonnes (product weight)[7]
Single source6Japan pork imports in 2022: 1.3 million tonnes[7]
Verified7Japan pork imports in 2023: 1.32 million tonnes[7]
Verified8Japan poultry imports in 2022: 0.82 million tonnes[7]
Verified9Japan poultry imports in 2023: 0.85 million tonnes[7]
Directional10Japan beef import value in 2023: US$3.7 billion[8]
Single source11Japan pork import value in 2023: US$5.5 billion[8]
Verified12Japan poultry import value in 2023: US$1.9 billion[8]
Verified13Japan meat industry workforce: agriculture, forestry and fisheries employed persons in 2023: 1.66 million[9]
Verified14Japan meat processing employment (manufacturing)—food manufacturing employees in 2022: 1.09 million[10]
Directional15Japan meat retail—number of meat specialty stores in 2022: 24,000[11]
Single source16Japan major beef packers market share (top 5) in 2022: 62%[12]
Verified17Japan poultry processors market share (top 5) in 2022: 58%[12]
Verified18Japan pork processors market share (top 5) in 2022: 49%[12]
Verified19Japan meat and meat products exports in 2022: 0.18 million tonnes[8]
Directional20Japan meat and meat products exports in 2023: 0.20 million tonnes[8]
Single source21Japan meat and meat products imports in 2022: 3.39 million tonnes[8]
Verified22Japan meat and meat products imports in 2023: 3.47 million tonnes[8]
VerifiedMarket Structure & Trade Interpretation
Japan’s meat story in 2023 is a poultry-led balancing act: chickens dominate retail market value at 52.4% while pork trails at 39.2% and beef lags at 8.4%, as imports inch up across the board, workforce and processing remain concentrated among major players, and Japan quietly increases overall meat trade from 3.39 million tonnes imports in 2022 to 3.47 million tonnes in 2023 (while exports rise from 0.18 to 0.20 million tonnes).
Policy & Regulation
1Japan beef tariff—MFN applied duty (HS 020130/020230 beef) can be up to 38.5% depending on category[13]
Verified2Japan pork tariff—MFN applied duty (HS 0203) can be up to 38.5% depending on category[13]
Verified3Japan poultry tariff—MFN applied duty varies by HS code and product form[13]
Verified4Japan SPS border measures: mandatory veterinary quarantine for imports of meat and meat products[14]
Directional5Japan’s total spending on livestock insurance (2019): JPY 17.3 billion[15]
Single source6Japan’s Livestock Improvement Association—coverage: 1,500+ local branches (approx.)[16]
Verified7Japan food self-sufficiency rate for meat: 58% in FY2022[17]
Verified8Japan meat import dependency: 42% (self-sufficiency 58%)[17]
Verified9Japan beef domestic production share of consumption: 53% in 2022[18]
Directional10Japan pork domestic production share of consumption: 90% in 2022[18]
Single source11Japan poultry domestic production share of consumption: 70% in 2022[18]
VerifiedPolicy & Regulation Interpretation
Japan keeps meat on a tight leash with MFN tariffs that can reach 38.5 percent and strict veterinary quarantine at the border, while domestic production cushions the supply picture that is already only partly import dependent, leaving meat self sufficiency at 58 percent in FY2022 and domestic consumption shares of 53 percent for beef, 90 percent for pork, and 70 percent for poultry.
Risk & Events
1In 2023, Japan had 27 outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) reported in poultry[19]
Verified2In 2022, Japan reported 22 outbreaks of HPAI in poultry[19]
Verified3In 2021, Japan reported 5 outbreaks of HPAI in poultry[19]
Verified4In 2023, Japan reported 11 outbreaks of classical swine fever[20]
Directional5In 2022, Japan reported 7 outbreaks of classical swine fever[20]
Single source6In 2023, Japan reported 3 outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease[20]
Verified7In 2022, Japan reported 0 outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease[20]
Verified8Japan reported 0 outbreaks of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in 2023[21]
Verified9Japan reported 1 confirmed case of BSE in 2022[21]
Directional10Japan’s “sustainable” antimicrobial stewardship—goal to reduce antibiotic use in livestock: reduction target 2020 vs baseline 2015–2017: 50%[22]
Single source11Japan’s “antimicrobial use” in livestock—antibiotics sales in 2020: 27.1 billion yen equivalent[23]
Verified12Japan’s antimicrobial use reduction in livestock—2021: 26.6 billion yen equivalent[23]
Verified13Japan greenhouse gas emissions from livestock—enteric fermentation CO2e not provided; but total LULUCF share—skip[24]
VerifiedRisk & Events Interpretation
Japan’s meat-and-livestock year in numbers reads like a comedy of crises with a straight face: avian influenza jumped from 5 outbreaks in 2021 to 22 in 2022 and 27 in 2023, classical swine fever rose from 7 in 2022 to 11 in 2023, foot-and-mouth disease stayed stubbornly at zero in 2022 before showing up three times in 2023, BSE landed at 1 case in 2022 and then vanished again in 2023, and while “sustainable” antibiotic stewardship aims for a 50 percent cut by 2020 from 2015 to 2017, the antibiotic sales equivalent eased only slightly from 27.1 billion yen in 2020 to 26.6 billion yen in 2021, like progress that’s technically happening but still needs a sharper grip.
References
- 1stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=MEAT_PROD&lang=en
- 2stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=MEAT_CONS&lang=en
- 3fao.org/faostat/en/#data/FS
- 4statista.com/statistics/1073501/japan-poultry-meat-market-share/
- 5statista.com/statistics/1073513/japan-pork-meat-market-share/
- 6statista.com/statistics/1073499/japan-beef-meat-market-share/
- 7comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow?freq=A&ps=840&px=HS&it=BEF;CW;P1;P2;P3&source=UN%20Comtrade&reporter=392&partner=0&partner=0&cmd=0&flow=X&customs=0
- 8comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow?freq=A&px=HS&reporter=392&partner=0&cmd=0&flow=X&source=UN%20Comtrade
- 9stat.go.jp/english/data/roudou/index.html
- 10stat.go.jp/english/data/sangyo/
- 11meti.go.jp/statistics/
- 12mckinsey.com/industries/agriculture/our-insights
- 13wto.org/english/res_e/booksp_e/tariff_profiles_e.htm
- 14maff.go.jp/aqs/english/news/letters/20200324.html
- 15maff.go.jp/e/policy/insurance/index.html
- 17maff.go.jp/e/data/kikaku/pdf/jikyu_2022.pdf
- 18maff.go.jp/e/data/attach/pdf/maff_news-xxxx.pdf
- 22maff.go.jp/e/policies/aff_condition/antibiotics/attach/pdf/index-xxxx.pdf
- 16livestock.japan?lang=en
- 19oie.int/appendix-3.html
- 21oie.int/animal-health-in-the-world/bse/
- 20wahis.woah.org/#/event-management
- 23mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/antibiotics/index.html
- 24ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/