According to USDA-FAS GAIN Report JA2023-0086 released on September 11th, the poultry meat industry in Japan is recovering from the effects of decreased demand following COVID and lower production due to HPAI. During 2023, production will attain 1.775 million metric tons (3,905 million lbs.), down 0.2 percent from 2022. Japan will import 1.09 million metric tons (2,398 million lbs.) in 2023, representing 36.2 percent of total supply, projected to be 3.014 million metric tons (6,631million lbs). Based on a population of 125 million, per capita consumption will be 50.6 lbs. in 2023. Approximately six percent of all chicken meat consumed in Japan is derived from spent layer hens.
Consumers in Japan are faced with inflation in all purchases including food. During the first half of 2023, consumers purchased 8 percent more chicken in volume compared to the corresponding months in 2022 but paid 20 percent more than in 2019.
Broiler production is undergoing a number of changes with intensification of production on farms. As of February 1st, 2023, 19.9 percent of the 2,120 broiler-growing farms in Japan ranged from 3,000 to 100,000 birds. This category was 12 percent lower than for the previous year. There was relative stability among the operations holding 100,000 to 200,000 birds, representing 29.4 percent of production, up by 4 percent from 2022. The largest category of farm capacity with 300,000 or more birds representing 32.8 percent of farms increased by 2 percent over 2022.
Production going forward will be driven by tourist demand following relaxation of COVID restrictions and by relatively lower prices for chicken compared to pork or beef. Thailand will ship 230,000 metric tons with approximately 75 percent in prepared form both chilled and frozen for the hotel, restaurant and institutional sector. Brazil is the second-ranked supplier to Japan with a volume of 210,000 metric tons in 2023. China will supply 75,000 tons of prepared chicken from Mainland joint-ventures with Japan.