Irish beef tongue has proven to be popular in Japan over the last number of years, with restaurant chain Negishi selling beef tongue at 49 locations across Japan to 100,000 customers per week.
Last year, Ireland exported over 3,300t of beef and beef offal to Japan, valued at almost €25m, up from €19.8m in 2023.
Negishi is now a key customer for Irish beef in Japan and it is the largest customer of Irish beef tongue worldwide. The Negishi restaurants are primarily in the Kanto region, with locations in Tokyo, Yokohama, Kawasaki, Chiba and Saitama.
Total Irish food and drink exports to Japan were €161m last year.
Japan has been a prized market for beef offal, such as tongue, and, more recently, Japan has become a destination for prime beef.
Since the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement was implemented in 2019, tariffs on imported beef from Europe have been decreasing.
Japan is the number two beef importer in the world and it is the third-largest destination for Irish agri-food exports outside of Europe, after the US and China.
Trade mission
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon commenced the final leg of this week’s agri-food trade mission to the Republic of Korea and Japan, which is being delivered in collaboration with Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland.
The focus of the Minister’s engagements in Japan this week will be to raise awareness of Irish agri-food products, including Irish drinks categories and to maintain and grow market access for Irish produce.
Japan has been a prized market for beef offal, such as tongue.
In 2024, €162m of Irish food and drink was exported to Japan.
Speaking from Tokyo, Minister Heydon said: “Japan is an important trading partner for Ireland [as] the third-largest destination for Irish agri-food exports outside of Europe.
"In recent years we have seen this relationship grow and strengthen, across a broad range of products.
“I was delighted to see Irish Premium Oysters recently launched into the Japanese market and to see demand continue to increase for Irish agri-food products.
“Our engagements in Japan this week, provide us with the opportunity to showcase Ireland as a like-minded and export-focused trading partner, with ambitions to grow the value of our quality food and drink exports to international markets,” he said.
Bord Bia CEO Jim O’Toole, said that Japan is a premium market for Ireland.
“This trade mission is an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to our Japanese customers. Showcasing premium Irish produce is an important step in this process,” he said.
Korea
The Korean leg of the trade mission focused on business meetings and attendance at Seoul Food, where five Irish beef clients attended, including Liffey Meats, Dawn Meats, APB, Kepak and QK Meats.
“Following the successful launch of Irish beef in the Korean market in 2024, I was delighted to see the arrival of the first consignment of Irish beef from Liffey Meats in Korea during the week.
“I am pleased to note this new addition to the Irish meat companies already exporting to Korea.”
He noted the significant opportunities for Irish companies as the Republic of Korea is the world’s fourth-biggest beef importer, purchasing 500,000t per year and has the highest per-capita consumers of beef in Asia (at 17kg per year).
Total agri-food exports to South Korea amounted to €39m or 1% of all Irish agri-food exports by value amounting to 11,000t last year.
In 2024, dairy produce represented the largest segment of Ireland’s agri-food export value to South Korea worth €15m. Pigmeat was the second-most valuable export at €7.4m.
Irish beef tongue has proven to be popular in Japan over the last number of years, with restaurant chain Negishi selling beef tongue at 49 locations across Japan to 100,000 customers per week.
Last year, Ireland exported over 3,300t of beef and beef offal to Japan, valued at almost €25m, up from €19.8m in 2023.
Negishi is now a key customer for Irish beef in Japan and it is the largest customer of Irish beef tongue worldwide. The Negishi restaurants are primarily in the Kanto region, with locations in Tokyo, Yokohama, Kawasaki, Chiba and Saitama.
Total Irish food and drink exports to Japan were €161m last year.
Japan has been a prized market for beef offal, such as tongue, and, more recently, Japan has become a destination for prime beef.
Since the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement was implemented in 2019, tariffs on imported beef from Europe have been decreasing.
Japan is the number two beef importer in the world and it is the third-largest destination for Irish agri-food exports outside of Europe, after the US and China.
Trade mission
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon commenced the final leg of this week’s agri-food trade mission to the Republic of Korea and Japan, which is being delivered in collaboration with Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland.
The focus of the Minister’s engagements in Japan this week will be to raise awareness of Irish agri-food products, including Irish drinks categories and to maintain and grow market access for Irish produce.
Japan has been a prized market for beef offal, such as tongue.
In 2024, €162m of Irish food and drink was exported to Japan.
Speaking from Tokyo, Minister Heydon said: “Japan is an important trading partner for Ireland [as] the third-largest destination for Irish agri-food exports outside of Europe.
"In recent years we have seen this relationship grow and strengthen, across a broad range of products.
“I was delighted to see Irish Premium Oysters recently launched into the Japanese market and to see demand continue to increase for Irish agri-food products.
“Our engagements in Japan this week, provide us with the opportunity to showcase Ireland as a like-minded and export-focused trading partner, with ambitions to grow the value of our quality food and drink exports to international markets,” he said.
Bord Bia CEO Jim O’Toole, said that Japan is a premium market for Ireland.
“This trade mission is an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to our Japanese customers. Showcasing premium Irish produce is an important step in this process,” he said.
Korea
The Korean leg of the trade mission focused on business meetings and attendance at Seoul Food, where five Irish beef clients attended, including Liffey Meats, Dawn Meats, APB, Kepak and QK Meats.
“Following the successful launch of Irish beef in the Korean market in 2024, I was delighted to see the arrival of the first consignment of Irish beef from Liffey Meats in Korea during the week.
“I am pleased to note this new addition to the Irish meat companies already exporting to Korea.”
He noted the significant opportunities for Irish companies as the Republic of Korea is the world’s fourth-biggest beef importer, purchasing 500,000t per year and has the highest per-capita consumers of beef in Asia (at 17kg per year).
Total agri-food exports to South Korea amounted to €39m or 1% of all Irish agri-food exports by value amounting to 11,000t last year.
In 2024, dairy produce represented the largest segment of Ireland’s agri-food export value to South Korea worth €15m. Pigmeat was the second-most valuable export at €7.4m.
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