• Ohsawa Japan Co Ltd led the organic segment in Japan in 2023, with a value share of 6.3%, followed by Sokensha Co Ltd, with a value share of 5.2%, and Alisan Pty Ltd with a share of 5.0%.
• Japan ranked ninth globally in terms of market size in 2023, with a value of US$1,460 million. It is the second largest consumer market for organic packaged food and beverages in Asia Pacific, with the country also being the eight largest in terms of per capita consumption of organic food and beverages in the region.

• Organic products in Japan represent roughly 2.4% of global demand and just under 10.9% of the market in the Asia Pacific region. Japan recorded per capita annual expenditure of US$11.8 in 2023.
• The Japanese market for organic products is projected to increase at a CAGR of 0.2% at 2023 constant prices over the forecast period 2023-2028, reaching a value of US$1,473.0 million in 2028.

• The Organic Packaged Food and Beverages category in Japan registered a decline in value of 7.1% in current price terms in 2023, to record a market size of US$1,460.4 million.
• Over the review period of 2019-2023, the Organic Packaged Food category stagnated, with a CAGR of 0.0% in current price terms. The forecast period between 2023 and 2028 is predicted to see only slow growth for the category, with a projected CAGR of just 0.1% in constant price terms.
• Organic Beverages registered low growth between 2019 and 2023, at a 0.5% current terms CAGR. Growth is predicted to accelerate slightly to a 0.9% constant terms CAGR over the forecast period.
• Although growth in Organic Packaged Food overall has stagnated, Organic Snacks recorded a current terms CAGR of 12.8% over the review period; the highest among all categories. This category is, however, expected to decline by an annual average of 1.2% in constant terms over the forecast period.
• Within Organic Beverages, Organic Hot Drinks led growth over the review period, with a current terms CAGR of 2.0%. Over the forecast period, Organic Soft Drinks are projected to see the fastest growth, at a 5.0% constant terms CAGR.

• Items that are positioned as healthier than standard variants, such as those that are low in fat or high in protein, tend to be on the rise in consumers’ shopping baskets in Japan. In Euromonitor International’s Voice of the Consumer Survey, undertaken in January and February 2024, 25% of consumers in Japan stated, “I look for healthy ingredients in food and beverages.”
• Organic products in Japan are often seen by consumers as being less harmful to health and more natural. These are popular attributes, as consumers have more health concerns in general in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The popularity of such products has also increased as ethical consumption and sustainability have seen increased recognition, which will contribute to increased sales of organic products.

• Items that are positioned as healthier than standard variants, such as those that are low in fat or high in protein, tend to be on the rise in consumers’ shopping baskets in Japan. In Euromonitor International’s Voice of the Consumer Survey, undertaken in January and February 2024, 25% of consumers in Japan stated, “I look for healthy ingredients in food and beverages.”
• Organic products in Japan are often seen by consumers as being less harmful to health and more natural. These are popular attributes, as consumers have more health concerns in general in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The popularity of such products has also increased as ethical consumption and sustainability have seen increased recognition, which will contribute to increased sales of organic products.

• Vegan and plant-based products are expected to see a strong rise in popularity, due to more consumers becoming interested in the environment, animal welfare and health benefits, with Japanese consumers continuing to see vegan and plant-based snacks as healthier options. In addition to vegan and plant-based claims, the prevalence of the organic claim is also increasing, due to rising awareness of sustainable and healthier products.
• Over the forecast period, sales of organic soft drinks are set to grow, with retail sales projected to rise at a 5.0% constant value CAGR between 2023 and 2028, to reach US$67.5 million, the highest projected increase across all organic categories. Due to consumer concerns about weight loss, the weight management and sugar reduction (zero sugar, no sugar) categories are expected to grow, as well as multifunctional drinks with more than one claim, including the organic claim. Over the forecast period, Organic RTD Tea is predicted to see the fastest growth, with a forecast CAGR of 24.9% at constant 2023 prices, reaching sales of US$37.4 million.

• The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease, in Japan has driven the popularity of healthier options in food and drinks, as these diseases have been linked to poor dietary choices and the consumption of processed foods high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats. Calorie intake is also an important factor when choosing what to eat, as there is high awareness of the direct correlation between a high calorie intake and weight gain in Japan.
• Japan is updating its food labeling standards, aiming to enhance transparency and consumer understanding of different ingredients. The new standard nutrient labeling values are calculated based on a population-weighted average for nutrient intake according to gender and age for Japanese consumers. Also, products must now contain at least 25% more of a nutrient than the equivalent standard product to be labeled as “fortified” or to claim to be “high in” nutrients. The changes aim to ensure that food labels provide more accurate and transparent nutritional information.

Economy:

• Japan’s economy is projected to stagnate in 2025, with real GDP growth expected to be just 0.8%. This performance will be attributable primarily to rising prices for most nondiscretionary items, weak wage growth after a significant spike during 2024, and an expected decline in exports, due to tariffs imposed by the US, Japan’s second largest market for exports.
• Real GDP growth is anticipated to continue to stagnate, with a projected 0.7% increase in 2026 and averaging around 0.7% annually over the period to 2028.
• Inflation in 2024 averaged 2.7% and is predicted to fall to 2.5% in 2025.

Population demographics:

• Japan’s population reached 123.8 million in 2024 and is projected to decrease by 0.5% to 123.1 million in 2025. Japan is the third oldest country in the world by median age. The proportion of its population aged over 65 years old increased from 28.6% in 2020 to 29.4% in 2024.
• The median age in Japan was recorded at 50.2 years in 2024, an increase of 1.7 years from 2020.

Income and expenditure:

• The savings ratio in Japan reached 9.9% of disposable income in 2024, continuing the steady downward trend of recent years; however, Japanese banks are now raising their savings accounts interest rates to attract new clients amid heated competition, which is predicted to reverse the trend.
• Consumer expenditure per capita grew by 3.2% in 2024 in current US dollar terms. In constant US dollar terms, it is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 1.3% over the period to 2028. This growth is expected to be driven by increased spending on hotels and catering, while housing is projected to remain the largest consumer spending category.
• Disposable income per capita was US$19,008 in 2024. It is predicted to grow at an average annual rate of 0.6% over the period to 2028, lower than the projected growth in the Asia Pacific region overall.

¹ Health and Wellness Definition: Health and wellness is the aggregation of organic packaged food and beverages, fortified/functional packaged food and beverages, naturally healthy packaged food and beverages, better for you packaged food and beverages and food intolerance products.

The above definition and more can be referenced from the definitions table at the end of the report

² Economic and Demographic Data has been updated to reflect final 2024 estimates, therefore using 2024 as the base year for exchange rates and prices. 

³ Historic current prices and forecast constant 2024 prices.

Top 5 Cities By Population

Top 5 Grocery Retailers By Sales

Top 5 Export Commodities To Japan

Note : Total organics is the sum of all exports in a particular year  

Authorized Government Agency(s):

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Agency(s) Contact Information:

Standards and Conformity Assessment Policy Office, Food Manufacture Affairs Division,
New Business and Food Industry Department, Minister's Secretariat,
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Telephone: +81-3-6744-2098
Email: jas_soudan@maff.go.jp
Web

Organic JAS 

Name(s) of Regulation and/or Standard:

Japan and the United States have an Equivalency Arrangement which began January 1, 2014.

Organic Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS) and Technical Criteria (website in English) Amended 2024.
Amended: October 2022 for labeling of organic alcoholic beverages and in 2020 to require JAS logo for organic livestock products and organic processed products with animal origin ingredients.

Date of Implementation: 2000

Regulation and/or Standard Scope:

The standards cover plants, processed foods, livestock feed, and livestock products, as well as transportation, selection, processing, cleaning, storage, packaging, and other post-harvest processes for domestic and imported products.

Japan also has equivalency arrangements with Argentina, Australia, Canada, European Union, New Zealand, Switzerland, Taiwan and United Kingdom.  The scope of the arrangement for Argentina, European Union, New Zealand and Taiwan are limited to organic products of plant origin and organic processed products on plan origin. Only the U.S., Australia, Canada and Switzerland arrangements include organic livestock products and organic livestock processed products. 

Importers must be certified. Technical criteria for importers cover facilities, methods for acceptance and storage of imported product, qualifications and number of persons in charge of acceptance and storage of imports and for those in charge of grading labeling, and for attaching grading labels. Companies importing products to Japan must assign a well-trained and knowledgable person to ensure the receipt, storage and packing of organic products maintains all organic requirements. In addition, the Organic Japanese Agriculture Standards (JAS) label on products must meet specified size parameters and be attached on a conspicuous location on every organic product. As of October 1, 2022, the organic JAS Seal is now allowed on certified Organic Alcohol Beverages by obtaining organic JAS (for Processed Foods) certification.

Japan has approved rules and standards of some countries as equivalent with the Organic JAS system. The equivalent grading system of another country does not mean that it is identical to the Organic JAS system. The integrity of the Organic JAS system is maintained through setting the terms of exports to Japan for crucial differences between both grading systems.

The United States has an Equivalency Arrangement with Japan.

Ways to Import and Sell Organic Products to Japan

A list of certified importers is available.

JAS system – Third party certification.  

Certification is conducted in accordance with ISO standards, 17065 and 17021

List of Accredited Certification Bodies. 

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) accredits certification bodies and laboratories, according to ISO 17011. Technical assessment is performed by the Food and Agricultural Materials Inspection Center (FAMIC) to ensure the quality and proper labeling of agricultural, forestry and fishery products.

Reference Standards:

Based on Codex Guidelines for the Production, Processing, Labelling and Marketing of Organically Produced Foods

Additional Information:

Japan is on the EU's third country list.

U.S. International Trade Administration

USDA’s GAIN Report Japan - Organic Market Review (2021)
USDA's GAIN Report Japan Exporter Guide (2024)
USDA's GAIN Report General Instructions for Shipping Product Samples to Japan (2023)
USDA's GAIN Report Japan Food Processing Ingredients (2024)
USDA's GAIN Report Japan Retail Foods (2024)
USDA’s GAIN Report Japan HRI Food Service Sector Report (2024)
USDA's GAIN Report Japan Health Foods Market Overview (2020)
USDA’s GAIN Report Japan Feed Import Regulations and Standards (2021)
USDA’s GAIN Report Japan to Establish Voluntary Government Standards for Vegetarian and Vegan Food (2021)
USDA’s GAIN Report US-Japan Organic Equivalency Arrangement Expanded to Include Animal Products (2020)
USDA’s GAIN Report Japan To Begin Enforcement of Organic Regulations for Turkey Products (2021)
USDA’s GAIN Report MAFF Releases Interim Report on Green Food System Strategy (2021)
USDA’s GAIN Report Japan Introduces a New JAS Logo for Differentiated Products (2018)
USDA’s GAIN Report Japan Regional Retail Foods (2018)
USDA’s GAIN Report HRI Food Distribution Patterns in the Tokyo-Yokohama Metropolitan Area (2021)
USDA’s GAIN Report The Japanese Processed Fruit Market-Opportunities and Challenges (2017)
USDA’s GAIN Report An Overview of the Food Labeling Standard (2017)
USDA’s GAIN Report Revised Country of Origin Labeling Requirements for Ingredients (2017)
USDA’s GAIN Report Japan Revises Organic Law Allowing Imported Organic Feed (2017)
Agricultural Trade Office talk: Food, Agriculture, and U.S. Market Prospects: Agriculture in Japan (March 6, 2017)
USDA's GAIN Report Japan Translates Amended Japanese Agricultural Standards Act (2019)
USDA's GAIN Report Japan Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards Country Report (2024)
USDA's GAIN Report Japan Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards Export Certificate Report (2024)
USDA's GAIN Report General Instructions for Shipping Product Samples to Japan (2020)