Japan - a demanding and potential market

DNHN - Currently, Vietnamese products have successfully penetrated the distribution chain in Japan, including coconut water, coconut milk, etc.

In the context of Vietnam's import and export being significantly affected, over the past time, the Japanese market is still a bright spot. In 2021, the total bilateral trade turnover between Vietnam and Japan reached 42.7 billion USD, up 7.8% compared to 2020; in which Vietnam's exports to Japan reached 20.1 billion USD, up 4.4%.

First five months of 2022, Vietnam's exports to Japan totaled 9.34 billion USD, an increase of 12.8% compared to the same period in the previous year, according to the latest statistics.

Mr. Ta Duc Minh, Commercial Counselor of Vietnam in Japan, asserts that the Japanese are most concerned with food quality. The Japanese government promulgates many laws and regulations to manage the quality of imported agricultural, aquatic products, and foodstuffs, focusing on product traceability.

At the same time, the household size in Japan is shrinking. Busy work makes Japanese people prefer convenience food products (easy to cook or processed, packaged in small bags and sold at all major supermarket chains and convenience stores).

Mr. Ta Duc Minh further emphasized and noted exporting agricultural, aquatic and food products to Japan, the product must always ensure the quality and brand name of the exported product. Enterprises need to establish a close linkage channel, ensuring synchronization and smoothness in all stages from production to preservation, transportation and export. Export goods need to have a variety of tastes and improvements in design and packaging.

"The Japanese consumer is quite sensitive to price changes. Therefore, Japanese importers always value the stability of prices as well as the availability of goods from Vietnamese enterprises. In addition, businesses must place greater emphasis on brand promotion, as quality products are only widely accepted when they are well-known and consumed by a large number of consumers”, said Mr. Minh.

Currently, a number of Vietnamese products have successfully entered the distribution chain in Japan, including coconut water, coconut milk..., which have been imported and distributed by KOME Company to a chain of stores selling Vietnamese goods in Tokyo and neighboring provinces; and Vietnamese coffee products, which have been imported and sold at the OK supermarket chain - a highly favored popular supermarket in Tokyo.

Vietnam's agricultural, aquatic and food products, in addition, are increasingly popular with a variety of categories on the shelves of major supermarket chains in Japan such as AEON, Donkihote, Itoyokado, etc.

PV