Japan whisky and sake exports hit ¥95 billion in 2025
Japan’s combined whisky and sake exports have soared by 289% over the last 10 years – peaking at ¥95 billion (around £500 million) in 2025 – data from the country’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has revealed.
Last year, the export value of Japan’s agricultural, forestry, fishery and food products hit ¥1.7 trillion (£184 billion), according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries – more than double the ¥750 billion (£4 million) recorded 10 years earlier, in 2015.
Scallops were the country’s biggest export, long-since lauded abroad for their large size, buttery flavour and meaty texture. Nippon, a local Japanese outlet, remarked that this is unchanged from a decade ago, where scallops also took top spot.
However, in 2025, whisky and sake exports combined outstripped scallops – totalling ¥95 billion (£400m), up from ¥24.4 billion (£113m) 10 years prior.
Sake’s soar to success
The drinks business recently reported that sake exports actually hit their second-highest level on record in 2025, with the national spirit now exported to 81 markets – including Latin America.
In 2024, the traditional method of making sake was recognised as a Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage, fuelling fervour for the drink abroad, with an increased presence on wine lists and fine dining menus.
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“I believe that the diversity and uniqueness of sake’s flavour profiles, together with its strong potential for food pairing, are increasingly being recognized by fine-dining chefs, sommeliers, and consumers worldwide,” Hitoshi Utsunomiya, director of the Japan Sake and Sochu Makers Association (JSS), recently told db.
Whisky’s rise
Then there’s whisky, with a new wave of innovative distilleries producing everything from entry-level to super-premium products to match global demand.
Today, there are more than 130 distilleries making whisky across the country.
The USA, in particular, has developed a thirst for the spirit. Speaking to db on the growing trend, Liz Paquette, head of consumer insights at Drizly, said: “Japanese whisky is likely popular among different sets of consumers for different reasons, whether they are just being introduced to the category or purchasing a treat for a special occasion or gift.”
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