A promising market with high standards

According to Ta Duc Minh, Trade Counsellor of Viet Nam in Japan, Japan is currently Viet Nam’s third-largest export market for agricultural, forestry, and fishery products, accounting for nearly 7% of total export turnover in this sector, with export value exceeding 4 billion USD in 2024. The average annual growth rate over the past decade has been over 6%.

From fragrant ST25 rice to fresh lychees, roasted coffee, and dried fruits, an increasing number of Vietnamese agro-fisheries are appearing on the shelves of major Japanese retail chains as well as e-commerce platforms.

Rice in particular has seen a remarkable surge due to price fluctuations in Japan. In 2024, rice exports from Viet Nam to Japan rose nearly tenfold compared to 2023. Within just the first five months of 2025, the volume of rice exports to Japan has already exceeded that of the entire year of 2024 and continues to grow.

In addition to packaged fragrant rice varieties like Japonica, ST25, and ST24 gradually gaining shelf space in Japanese supermarkets, fresh fruits such as lychee, mango, dragon fruit, and longan have also been warmly welcomed and increasingly favoured by Japanese consumers.

Notably, the 2025 lychee season marks a new milestone, as Vietnamese enterprises exported over 100 tonnes of fresh lychees early in the season, with total exports expected to reach 200 tonnes. Vietnamese lychees are not only present in supermarkets but are also being sold through social media and e-commerce platforms in Japan.

According to Minh, Japan is a market with strict requirements for quality, traceability, and food safety standards. Around 70% of consumers are willing to pay a premium for certified products with clear and transparent packaging.

Support from free trade agreements such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the Vietnam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (VJEPA) has enabled over 90% of tariffs to be reduced or eliminated. However, these advantages will only be fully realised if businesses standardise their entire production and supply chains.

Japan also maintains strong domestic protection policies, with rice tariffs as high as 778%, in addition to fierce competition in regard to rice from India, Pakistan, Taiwan (China), and other countries with FTAs with Japan.

Strict delivery timelines are also a major requirement, with over 95% of Japanese importers placing a high value on punctuality, considering it a decisive factor in maintaining contracts.

Seizing “golden time”

The Viet Nam Trade Office in Japan has also assessed that with the Japanese market currently expanding its demand for clean, safe, convenient, and branded imported products, this is a “golden time” for Vietnamese businesses to deepen their presence at the Japanese market.

To capitalise on this opportunity, the Trade Office recommends that businesses develop long-term strategies and invest methodically in upgrading technologies, production standards, and packaging to match local consumer preferences.

Agro-fishery products should focus on deep processing, strict quality control, and the use of simple yet informative packaging that aligns with Japanese tastes. It is also essential to study post-harvest preservation methods to maintain product appearance and quality upon reaching consumers.

Businesses should actively promote trade with Japan, taking advantage of support from ministries, localities, and industry associations. In particular, participating in international trade fairs and exhibitions in Japan offers one of the best opportunities to showcase products to potential partners.

They should also consider deeper, broader cooperation with Japanese partners to enhance production quality and business efficiency, join supply chains, and gain further market access.

Importantly, companies should be ready to invest in high-quality human resources and increase the application of digital technologies in their governance and production to improve competitiveness.

The Viet Nam Trade Office in Japan has played an active role in market connection, trade promotion, and information support for businesses. Since early 2025, the Trade Office has organised a series of activities including Vietnamese product booths in Japan, business networking events, and product displays at major events such as the Viet Nam Festival in Tokyo and Vietnamese product weeks at AEON.

For seasonal products like lychee, the Trade Office has proactively worked with importers from the second quarter onwards to prepare import plans. In the case of rice, amid rising prices in Japan, it has provided timely market information and connected qualified suppliers from Viet Nam.

“The Japanese market is currently expanding its demand for clean, safe, convenient products with brand narratives. This is truly a ‘golden time’ for Vietnamese businesses to seize the opportunity, invest in production, processing, Japanese-standard packaging, actively plan trade promotion, and build a solid brand presence in Japan,” Ta Duc Minh emphasised.