According to Minato Shimbun, on September 11, Kyokuyo held a trade exhibition and business-matching event in Osaka in cooperation with its Osaka, Nagoya, Hiroshima and Fukuoka branches. Around 500 seafood and processed food products were showcased to approximately 760 customers and business partners.
Among the products on display, Kyokuyo placed particular emphasis on pangasius and herring as relatively affordable seafood options with stable supply. This factor is becoming increasingly important in Japan as prices of many traditional seafood products rise and supplies from wild fisheries become more difficult to predict.
The Osaka event was not an isolated initiative. Previously, at the Japan International Seafood & Technology Expo in Tokyo from August 19–21, Kyokuyo also identified pangasius as one of the key seafood products to promote. The company organized product tasting and demonstrations to engage commercial customers.
Notably, Kyokuyo already offers Vietnamese pangasius through Japan’s professional food distribution channels. One of the products marketed is frozen, skinless and boneless Vietnamese pangasius fillet, processed in Vietnam and suitable for a variety of Japanese, Western and Chinese dishes.
The continued promotion of pangasius by a major Japanese seafood group indicates a changing position for the product in the Japanese market. Rather than being viewed simply as a low-priced whitefish, pangasius is gaining an opportunity to be positioned as a competitively priced raw material with consistent quality, versatility and year-round supply.
This trend is also reflected in Vietnam’s export performance. According to Vietnam Customs data, in the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Japan reached US$36.31 million, up 20.8% year on year. In August alone, exports totaled US$5.47 million, an increase of 23.7%.
Although this remains small compared with Vietnam’s major pangasius markets, growth of more than 20% indicates a clear improvement in demand in Japan. In particular, interest from major importers and distributors could create additional opportunities for pangasius to enter retail, foodservice and convenient processed-food channels.
The outlook for pangasius in Japan is also supported by developments in the global whitefish market. Supplies of some traditional wild-caught species are tightening while prices remain high, prompting importers to seek alternative raw materials with more reliable supply. Vietnamese pangasius has a significant advantage in this regard thanks to controlled production, large-scale output and diverse processing capabilities.
Japan, however, imposes stringent requirements on quality, consistency, food safety, product specifications and supply-chain stability. Therefore, pangasius growth in the market will depend not only on price competitiveness but also on the ability to develop products tailored to Japanese consumer preferences and distribution channels.
Kyokuyo’s continued inclusion of pangasius in its recommended product portfolio is therefore a notable signal. If the current growth momentum continues and Vietnam expands from frozen fillets into processed, convenient and value-added products, Japan could become an increasingly valuable niche market for Vietnamese pangasius.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As of the end of August 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States reached $21 million, representing a steep 48% year-over-year decline and accounting for 23% of the country's total tilapia export turnover. Frozen fillets accounted for 78% with the remainder consisting of whole frozen tilapia and frozen cuts.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a volatile first half of the year, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Brazil registered robust growth in July and August 2026. In August alone, export turnover reached $19 million, surging 73% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulatively for the first eight months, total export value reached $124 million, reflecting an 8% year-over-year increase.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Besides modifying their boats, many fishermen in Dak Lak province are making efforts to venture out to sea to harvest seafood during the rough sea season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At the Responsible Seafood Summit and TCRS Shrimp Summit 2026, organized by the GSA (Global Seafood Alliance) in Bangkok, Thailand, the conversation about the future of the shrimp industry began with one of its most important foundations: seedstock quality.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Lithuania surpassed $14 million, up 8% year on year. While the increase remains modest, it is notable given the continued pressure on Vietnamese tuna exports to the EU as a whole. More importantly, export turnover to Lithuania has shown a clearer recovery in recent months, making the market a destination worth monitoring for Vietnamese businesses in Europe.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports exceeded $527 million in the first eight months of 2026, marking a 15% year-on-year increase. This growth is particularly notable given the strong baseline established in 2025, when export turnover for the same period reached $458 million, a 13% rise from 2024.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese pangasius is gaining traction in Japan, where competitive prices and reliable supplies have helped the fish enter professional distribution channels and a major sushi chain.
(vasep.com.vn) A circular economy does not create a “new type of shrimp” or a new certification. Its value lies in helping the shrimp value chain use resources more efficiently, stabilize production, generate additional value from by-products and build the data and evidence needed to meet increasingly stringent market requirements. This was the perspective shared by VASEP at the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Forum on Promoting a Circular Economy in the Shrimp Industry in the Mekong Delta, held in Can Tho on September 21.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to CPTPP markets reached $264 million in the first eight months of 2026, up 12% year-on-year and accounting for 17% of the nation’s total pangasius export turnover. In August alone, export value reached $34 million, inching up 3%.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Golden pompano is being selected as a high-value species for the development of high-tech marine aquaculture in Lam Dong Province. In 2026, the provincial Agricultural Extension Center launched a golden pompano farming model using circular HDPE cages in Lien Huong Commune, opening opportunities to apply technology to marine farming at a scale suited to local coastal conditions.
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