REGIONAL STRENGTH

Japan’s agricultural, forestry, and fishery exports have an excellent reputation.
Clockwise, from top left: rice and sake, tea fields, strawberries,and cattle used in wagyu production.

CREATING

VIBRANTCOMMUNITIESWith its bountiful natural environment on bothland and sea, Japan boasts agricultural, forestry, andfishery products with an entrenched popularity
in Asia and beyond. The annual value of Japan’sagricultural exports exceeded 900 billion yen in2019, a figure that is forecast to grow further. At thesame time, these agricultural exports hold increasingpromise to boost the Japanese economy further
through the revitalization of local economies thatraises incomes in areas outside of Greater Tokyo,
which account for approximately 70% of domestic
consumption.
Under the new Japanese administration led byPrime Minister SUGA Yoshihide, the government
is working with relevant ministries and agencies toprovide a powerful push to expand those exports.
In April 2020, when Prime Minister Suga was
Chief Cabinet Secretary, the government arrangeda system for expedited procedures by setting up
a headquarters at the Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries to supervise negotiations
with countries of destination and the certificationof establishments in Japan. That has significantly
improved export operations, which previously had
involved cumbersome requirements for companies,
such as regulations that varied by countries ofdestination. The government has set new export
value targets of 2 trillion yen by 2025 and 5 trillion
yen by 2030, promoting a national effort to reformthe country’s agriculture, forestry, and fisheries so as
to deliver the industry’s products to the world.
Many companies have already produced positive
results in expanding exports. One such company,
Henta Seicha Co., Ltd., manages 25 ha of tea fields
at the foot of Mt. Kirishima in the southern Kyushu
prefecture of Kagoshima. The company produces
pesticide-free, organic green tea leaves and sells
powdered tea and other products. They began

BY EXPANDING AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS

Spreading quality, appealing Japanese agricultural, forestry, and fishery products and food around the world
will revitalize local economies and further encourage Japan’s growth.
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exporting in 2015 inaccordance with a mottothat advocates providing
overseas markets withenvironmentally friendly,delicious, and reassuring
Kirishima tea. Riding thepowdered-tea boom in
the West, the company
has grown at a rapid pace,and is forecast to export
14 tons of products in2020, primarily to theTop: Henta Seicha is aggressively courting overseas
United States, the EU, buyers. The company invites them to visit its tea
fields to build trust in the product’s quality, aimingand Asia.
for an increase in steady demand.
An important issue Bottom: Higher levels of health consciousness
that comes up with worldwide have fueled the global popularity ofJapanese tea. In response to that demand, theorganic farming, in Japanese government has become involved inaddition to inconsistent promoting more exports.
yields, is how to prevent
agrochemicals from floating over from neighboring
farmland. Henta Seicha’s response was to establish
a method to prevent such flows by purposely
developing tea fields surrounded by forest. Thatallowed the company to make the transition toorganic farming that is pesticide-free, and to receive
organic accreditations recognized in Westerncountries, where health consciousness is high.
The company’s president, HENTA Koichi, said,“Organic farming involves constant work, such as
improving the soil. But if we can keep on making
good products, then I believe the demand willdefinitely be there.”
Henta Seicha has meanwhile acted to further
expand tea leaf exports, such as popularizing organic
farming among nearby growers and working withthem to run promotions outside Japan. President
Henta said, “By expanding exports like this, I truly
feel that we can create jobs in the local community
and revitalize towns. That is our mission.”
Japan’s quality agricultural, forestry, and fisheryproducts and foods are made possible by the hard
work and ingenuity of local producers. Growers’
efforts to expand agricultural exports will show theworld the appeal of Japanese food, while creating
vibrant local economies throughout Japan.

Henta Seicha has benefited the entire local community by successfully
expanding its exports. President Henta (middle of front row) is eager todouble the production of organic farming.

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