USMEF Addresses USDA Trade Delegation on Effectively Approaching Japanese Consumers

USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney recently led a delegation of U.S. business representatives and officials from several state departments of agriculture on a trade mission to Japan, seeking to expand export opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products.

Tazuko Hijikata, USMEF-Japan senior manager of consumer affairs, was among the featured speakers at a plenary session and country team briefing organized by Morgan Perkins, director of the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Agricultural Trade Office in Tokyo. Hijikata addressed the group on how to effectively approach Japanese consumers. She cited examples of campaigns in which USMEF has emphasized the nutritional attributes of U.S. meat, which is especially important as Japanese consumers become increasingly health-conscious in their meal selections. She also highlighted fun, innovative ways of appealing to consumers, including creation of the U.S. pork icon “Gochipo,” and encouraging consumers to share their cooking and dining experiences on social media.

“Japan is already a top market for U.S. farm and food products, but there are many new opportunities still waiting to be tapped there,” McKinney said. “As an import-dependent economy, Japan’s 130 million consumers have a real affinity for U.S. food products because of their quality, affordability and safety. But expanding our market in Japan takes effort, and we are lucky to have the good people at USMEF working beside us, in particular through the USDA Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development Program. Your work identifying new opportunities in Japan’s regional retail, convenience store and national retail segments is key to sustaining growth, especially in this competitive global trade climate.”

Hijikata appreciated the trade delegation’s interest in the Japanese market and the opportunity to share the knowledge she has gained in nearly 20 years with USMEF.

Tazuko Hijikata, senior manager of consumer affairs for USMEF-Japan, addresses USDA trade mission participants on how to effectively appeal to Japanese consumers

“It was an honor to be invited to address the group, and a great chance for USMEF to explain key Japanese consumer trends and offer our perspective on how to further expand sales of U.S. products,” Hijikata said. “Japan is a tremendous market for U.S. pork and beef, but also fiercely competitive. This group was very eager to grow their business presence in Japan, and we hope they will benefit from USMEF’s experience and insights.”

More details on the trade mission, including a full list of participants, are available in this USDA news release.