Viet Nam's seafood exports to Japan are recovering. In the first 11 months of 2025, the turnover increased by 11% over the same period; in November 2025 alone, it reached 161 million USD, up 9%; in 11 months, it reached nearly 1.6 billion USD and could set a new record this year.

Seafood exports to Japan may set a new record

According to data compiled by the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in the first 11 months of 2025, seafood exports reached over 10.5 billion USD, up 14.6% over the same period. Of which, shrimp reached 4.31 billion USD, up 21.2%, continuing to be the leading growth sector; pangasius reached over 2 billion USD, up 9%; tuna reached 855.7 million USD; molluscs, marine fish and value-added products maintained double-digit growth.

Regarding the market, in the 11 months of 2025, CPTPP accounted for the largest proportion of up to 27.2% and increased sharply by 24.3%; Hong Kong (China) increased by 30.6%; EU increased by 11.9%; while the US reached 1.78 billion USD, increased by 8.1% but showed signs of slowing down in the fourth quarter.

In particular, among the markets of CPTPP member countries, seafood exports to Japan are a highlight.

In November 2025, seafood exports to Japan reached 161 million USD, up 9%; in 11 months, it reached nearly 1.6 billion USD and could set a new record this year.

The latest figures from the General Department of Customs show that Viet Nam's seafood exports to Japan are recovering. In the first 11 months of 2025, the turnover increased by 11% compared to the same period; in November 2025 alone, it reached 161 million USD, up 9%; in 11 months, it reached nearly 1.6 billion USD and could set a new record this year.

This development reflects the increasing demand in Japan and shows the more stable position of Vietnamese seafood in the market which requires strict quality control.

According to VASEP, the growth momentum comes from changes in the structure of export goods. Shrimp - the main product, continues to increase in both volume and value, showing the stable demand of Japanese consumers for products with high technical standards. Squid and octopus maintained good growth, while tra and basa fish, which are not present in Japan, also increased sharply, with export value increasing by nearly 70%.

In addition to increasing volume, Viet Nam also benefits from lower export prices to Japan. Import prices in Japan are less volatile than in markets such as the US or China, where prices are heavily influenced by inflation, logistics and policy changes. Thanks to stable prices, businesses can easily maintain production plans and reduce risks, thereby making longer-term investments in quality and processing.

According to the Japanese Customs, Viet Nam is the third largest seafood supplier to Japan, accounting for 7.4% of total imports. On the other hand, Japan is also among the three largest markets for Vietnamese seafood, contributing about 15% of the industry's total turnover. Maintaining a significant market share in the context of strong competition from Thailand, Indonesia and China.

The growth momentum is forecast to continue into 2026. The end of the year is a period of seasonal demand for seafood in Japan, and many experts predict that export turnover in 2025 could exceed the record of 1.7 billion USD in 2022. The CPTPP and VJEPA agreements continue to facilitate taxes and procedures, supporting businesses to access deeper into the supply chain in Japan.

Focus on quality

Sharing more clearly, Mr. Ta Duc Minh - Commercial Counselor, Viet Nam Trade Office in Japan also said that the CPTPP Agreement and many agreements that Viet Nam and Japan are members of are creating more motivation to promote trade growth between Viet Nam and Japan.

Commercial Counselor Ta Duc Minh said that in the first 9 months of 2025, the total import-export turnover between Viet Nam and Japan reached nearly 37.90 billion USD, an increase of 11.03% over the same period in 2024.

Of which, exports of goods from Viet Nam to Japan reached 19.64 billion USD, up 9.56% over the same period in 2025; Viet Nam's imports from Japan reached more than 18.23 billion USD, up 13.24% over the same period in 2024. Vietnam's trade surplus with Japan in the first 9 months of 2025 was 1.41 billion USD, down 26.21% over the same period in 2024.

Viet Nam exports a wide range of goods to Japan, including processed and manufactured products. Some Vietnamese products have successfully penetrated the distribution chain in Japan.

Regarding agricultural and aquatic products, some products have taken up market share in Japan; of which, dried bananas account for 78.5%; lychee, longan, rambutan 42.9%; durian 42.6%...

However, most of the products are canned, dried, and fresh due to limitations in preservation capacity and high quality standards, and the market share of Vietnamese goods is still limited.

When exporting Vietnamese agricultural products and food to Japan, businesses need to pay attention to product quality and technical standards.

Mr. Ta Duc Minh added that Japan's distribution system is quite complex with many levels. Many supermarkets and wholesalers do not import directly but buy goods through suppliers. This answers the question of why goods are not brought directly to consumers.

Recently, some Japanese enterprises such as AEON Group have imported goods directly from Viet Nam. To become a supplier for these partners, in addition to meeting general standards on product quality, they must also meet the partners' own standards.

Meanwhile, the requirements for product quality and food hygiene and safety for imported goods from Japan are very high, posing a significant challenge for businesses.

On the other hand, with the globalization trend, businesses can cooperate and provide information via the internet without having to meet in person, so the risk is high. Through this method, scammers often provide missing or incorrect information. Therefore, if you feel unsafe, businesses should verify their partners.

In particular, Viet Nam and Japan are both members of four bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements (FTAs): the Viet Nam-Japan Free Trade Agreement (VJEPA), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the ASEAN-Japan Free Trade Agreement (AJCEP) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans- Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Therefore, there are many opportunities and favorable conditions between the two countries to expand trade cooperation in many fields, including agricultural products and food.

Therefore, when exporting Vietnamese agricultural products and food to Japan, businesses need to pay attention to product quality and technical standards of this market. Products must comply with the Law on Environmental Sanitation and pass animal and plant quarantine steps before entering the Japanese market.

In addition, Japan's population is aging, so Japanese consumers' consumption trends for agricultural products and food are especially concerned with factors affecting health, followed by price and convenience of the product... Businesses need to clearly state on the product packaging information about nutritional ingredients, processing methods, preservation, expiry date, and ingredients that can cause allergies...

Source: Ministry of Industry and Trade

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