In the first eight months of 2018, imports of shrimp to Japan reached US$1.5 billion, down by 4.5% over the same period in 2017. In the top six shrimp suppliers of Japan, imports of shrimp from India, Indonesia increased slightly while imports from Vietnam, Argentina and China decreased compared with the same period last year.
In the first eight months of this year, imports of shrimps to Japan fell due to high inventories from the beginning of the year as well fluctuations of the Yen currency exchange rate. Exports from suppliers such as China and Argentina plummeted sharply due to shrunken shrimp production in these countries.
Vietnam remained the largest shrimp supplier to Japan, accounting for 25.7% of total shrimp imports of the country. Thailand ranked second with 18.9%, followed by Indonesia with 16% and India with 12.6%. The position of the largest shrimp suppliers to Japan has not changed since 2015. The average price of shrimp imports from Vietnam is the highest (12 US$/kg) in the top suppliers, calling for price competition of Vietnam with other suppliers in this market (Indonesia: 11 US$/kg, Thailand: 11.5 US$/kg, India: 9.5 US$/kg ...)
According to statistics of Vietnam Customs, as of September this year, Vietnam shrimp exports to Japan reached US$453.3 million, down 11.7% over the same period in 2017. Japan is the third largest shrimp exports market in Vietnam, accounting for 17.3% of the total export value.
For many years, Vietnam has maintained its No. 1 position in shrimp supply to Japan due to its advantages over other suppliers in the Japan market. The ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (AJCEP) (in effect since 1 December 2008) and Japan-Viet Nam Economic Partnership Agreement (VJEPA) (in effect since 1 October 2009) have helped create the most favorable conditions for tariffs for Vietnam seafood exports to Japan. For AJCEP, immediately after being in effect in 2009, shrimp products of Vietnam were entitled to 0% tax rate.
Processed shrimp products with high convenience are expected to grow well in the near future as Japan's ready-to-eat food business grows, thanks to the increase in the number of single people and decrease in the proportion of housewives. In order to promote shrimp exports to Japan, enterprises should innovate their market approach and enhance brand promotion for their products.
|
Shrimp imports into Japan (Value: US$thousand, Source: ITC) |
|||
|
Supplier |
M1-T8/2017 |
M1-T8/2018 |
Variation (%) |
|
World |
1,537,676 |
1,468,395 |
-4.5 |
|
Vietnam |
419,013 |
376,829 |
-10.1 |
|
India |
182,579 |
184,843 |
1.2 |
|
Thailand |
267,672 |
277,272 |
3.6 |
|
Indonesia |
224,924 |
234,457 |
4.2 |
|
Argentina |
86,021 |
69,605 |
-19.1 |
|
China |
67,658 |
63,574 |
-6.0 |
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia industry is maintaining strong growth momentum, with significant room for further expansion in the coming years. In 2025, total tilapia production reached approximately 420,000 tonnes, up 33% from 2024 and 2.2 times higher than in 2015. During 2015–2025, production grew at an average annual rate of around 8.4%. As production and exports continue to expand, food safety control is receiving increasing attention to ensure product quality, meet the increasingly stringent requirements of international markets, and provide a foundation for the sustainable development of Vietnam’s tilapia industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of August 19, 2026, as part of the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026, the Hosted Buyer Program continued with the seminar “Vietnam Seafood Outlook 2026–2027: A Strategic Sourcing Destination,” followed by 1-to-1 B2B meetings between international buyers and Vietnamese seafood businesses.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of VIETFISH 2026 on August 19 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), U.S. Consul General Melissa Brown highlighted the important role of the exhibition in connecting Vietnam’s growing seafood industry with buyers, suppliers, and partners from the United States and around the world.
(vasep.com.vn) Tomorrow, August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026 will officially open at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, Vietfish 2026 promises to provide a dynamic platform for business networking, trend updates, product experiences and comprehensive cooperation across the domestic and international seafood community.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market continues to grow, creating significant opportunities for countries with strengths in aquaculture, processing, and exports. Against this backdrop, Vietnam’s tilapia industry is gradually developing toward higher quality, greater product diversification, and broader market reach. At Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), together with the VASEP Tilapia Producers and Exporters Club, will host a joint booth to promote the image and potential of Vietnamese tilapia to domestic and international buyers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports are heading towards $12 billion this year, potentially the highest level on record. Yet one of the country’s export strengths is facing a growing list of challenges.
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(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition, will officially take place from 19–21 August 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City. As Vietnam’s largest annual seafood trade event, organized by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietfish 2026 will once again bring together leading seafood companies, industry experts, and international partners from across the global seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached USD 1.1 billion in July 2026, up 4.8% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first seven months of the year totaled nearly USD 6.86 billion, an increase of 11.5% year-on-year. Exceeding the USD 1 billion mark in July further reinforces the prospect that Vietnam’s seafood exports could surpass USD 12 billion in 2026. However, the July figures also send a clear signal that the most favorable growth period may have passed: overall export growth slowed to just 4.8%, pangasius exports fell 6.1%, tuna exports were virtually flat, while exports to the EU, South Korea, and the Middle East all recorded double-digit declines.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the seminar "Global Seafood Market and the Future Workforce: Trends, Opportunities, and Sustainable Development Pathways for Vietnam's Seafood Industry" will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on August 19, 2026, at Convention Room B, Level 2, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City. This is the first of five specialized seminars at Vietfish 2026, focusing on key issues that are shaping the long-term development of Vietnam's seafood industry.
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