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Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) proposed revisions to Japan’s maximum residue levels for 11 agricultural chemicals (Ametoctradin, Amisulbrom, Flumioxazin, Flupyradifurone, Glufosinate, Mefentrifluconazole, Metaldehyde, Simeconazole, Cefuroxime, Dicloxacillin, and Amprolium) for various agricultural commodities.

FAS/Tokyo projects reduced corn imports and feed consumption in MY2022/23 due to large outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza as well as increased competition from domestic feed rice, followed by a recovery of corn consumption in MY2023/24.

Japan is one of the world’s leading consumers of seafood. In 2022, it imported $15 billion of seafood products, making it the world’s third largest importer. Half of Japan’s seafood demand is met by imports. The United States is the third largest seafood supplier to Japan, specializing in salmon, cod, pollock, herring, crab, and lobster.

On December 27, 2022, the Government of Japan (GOJ) released the “Food Security Reinforcement Policy Framework,” which aims to lower Japan's dependence on imports and to push increased domestic production of wheat, soybeans, feed grains, hay, and fertilizer inputs.

Cattle stocks decline in 2023 as farmers thin dairy herds to counter surplus production capacity. The resulting increase in domestic beef production will lower demand for imports in 2023.

Milk production in Japan is projected to remain flat in 2019 before increasing around 1 percent in 2020 as recovery in the heifer population brings productivity gains.

On September 19, 2019, Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) announced genome edited foods that do not contain foreign DNA are not subject to the Food Labeling Standard.

On October 4, Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries announced that it would decrease planned imports of non-fat dry milk (NFDM) by 6,000 metric tons....

On October 1, 2019 Japan raised the consumption tax for most goods and services from 8 to 10 percent.

On September 20, Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) announced its intention to permit vaccinations of healthy hogs in prefectures affected by Classical Swine Fever.

On July 18, 2019, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) announced revisions to Japan’s Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) for six agricultural chemicals and a veterinary drugs....

On September 11, 2019, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries opened the public comment period for Feed Safety Guidelines on the Handling of Genome-edited Feeds and Feed Additives.