Trade mission heads for Japan as Canada becomes the country’s top pork supplier

Canadian pork trade members are headed to Japan on a commerce mission this week as Canada supplants the U.S. as Japan’s prime pork provider.

“We’re pleased with the connection our two nations have constructed through the years, and we’re dedicated to additional increasing and strengthening Canadian pork’s partnership with Japanese retailers and shoppers,” stated Canadian Pork Council chair René Roy in a information launch, Monday.

Japan’s prime provider

Canadian pork is the highest imported pork in Japan for the primary time in 40 years, the council stated.

The U.S. was Japan’s largest pork provider between 2020 and 2024 a report from the Province of Manitoba exhibits. It exported C$2.01 billion in pork merchandise to Japan in 2024, with Canada second that 12 months at $1.61 billion in pork merchandise exported to Japan.

Within the first half of 2025, Japan had already imported $3.8 billion in pork merchandise, which represents 52.3 per cent of final 12 months’s complete imports from all origins, the Manitoba report stated. Canada’s market share of Japanese pork imports by means of the primary half of the 12 months elevated to 22.0 per cent, from 21.8 per cent.

Celebration on itinerary

Nineteen Canadian pork trade delegates will kick off this week’s commerce mission in Osaka, the place Canada Pork and the Canadian Pork Council will hosts occasions on the Canadian Pavilion at Expo 2025, together with a slicing demo and pork tasting.

Delegates will then journey to Tokyo for a media convention on the Canadian embassy.

“Each occasions, together with different vital actions deliberate, will present producers and processors a possibility to have fun the trade’s Japanese companions and buddies,” the Canadian Pork Council stated.

---

You’ll additionally obtain trade and coverage info, multi functional handy electronic mail delivered proper to your inbox!

One electronic mail delivered 6 days every week for ranchers, feedlots, packers and livestock gross sales operators.