Japanese marine product imports, including fishmeal, for 2013, amounted to 2,472,959 metric tons, down 8.3 percent from 2012, according to preliminary trade statistics by the Ministry of Finance.
The aggregate value came to JPY 1.5669 trillion (€11.4 billion/$15.5 billion), an increase of 5.1 percent.
The total sum of exports amounted to 551,986 metric tons in 2013, up 25.4 percent. Value was up 30.3 percent year-on-year to JPY 221.6 billion (€1.6 billion/$2.2 billion).
At the beginning of the year, aweaker yen fueled at the beginning of the year fueled exports. Quantity-wise, the year marked the third largest in the past 20 years, following 2007 (610,000 metric tons) and 2006 (590,000 metric tons). In terms of value, 2013 was rankedsecond behind 2007 (JPY 238.2 billion/€1.7 billion/$2.4 billion).
Lower seafood imports
When compared to the past 20 years to 1993, seafood imports tended to display a downward trajectory after hitting the peak time in 2001 and 2002 (both 382,000 metric tons).
From 2009 the level of 260,000-270,000 metric tons was maintained against a backdrop of a stronger yen; however, a weak yen that started early last year significantly impacted the imports,resulting in less than 250,000 metric tons.
The year of 1989 (229,000 metric tons) was the lasttime when the annual import amount hit less than a 250,000-ton level.
The following commodities exhibited noticeable declines: yellow-fin tuna (down 21.4 percent year-on-year), bonito (down 26 percent), cod roe (down 23.9 percent), crab (down 31 percent), and fishmeal (down 22.7 percent).
On the other hand, those that increased were cod/common hake (up 26.9 percent), mackerel (up 14.8 percent), Pacific oceanperch (up 35.2 percent), albacore (up 50.5 percent), bluefin tuna (up 39.3 percent), squid (up 24.1 percent), and octopus (up 24.1 percent).
Salmon/trout and shrimp declined 7.6 percent and 5.6 percent, respectively, managing the drop well within the 10 percent range.
Nonetheless, their average values hiked 15.2 percent and 32.2 percent, respectively.
Imports propelled by the weak yen recorded steady shipments of major items. After the 2011 earthquake and tsunami and inthe following year 2012, the level of 400,000 metric tons and roughly JPY 170 billion (€1.2 billion/$1.7 billion) was registered. Both quantityand value reverted to the pre-disaster years last year.
Items that were exported more than others were scallop (up 119.3 percent), salmon/trout (up 52.6 percent), bonito (up 34 percent), cod (up 34.8 percent), and saury (up 39 percent). The primary commodities showed increases in quantity and value all across the board; however, squid were slashed in half (down 52.8 percent).