In the first half of 2023, the export value of Japan’s pearls, both natural and cultured, was ¥22.3 billion, an increase of 129.3% compared to the same period in 2022. Data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries shows that in June alone, sales rose 193.4% to ¥6.8 billion. The ministry said that “an international trade fair stimulated demand for popular, high-quality Japanese pearls”. Exports to Hong Kong, Italy and China showed a significant increase in June.
Japanese pearls are highly regarded worldwide and are a major export in the marine products category. After a slump due to the global economic downturn from 2008, the export value recovered to the 30 billion yen range in the five-year period between 2015 and 2019. However, there was a sharp drop to ¥7.6 billion in 2020, affected by the Hong Kong riots and the COVID-19 pandemic. The expansion of direct online trade between merchants led to a recovery in 2021 and 2022.
The chart below shows the countries and regions with the highest shares of Japan’s pearl exports in 2022. Hong Kong had the highest share at 72.7%, followed by the United States at 9.5%.
According to MAFF, Japan will produce 13.2 tonnes of cultured pearls in 2022. The top three prefectures in terms of production volume were Nagasaki, Ehime and Mie. In 2019, mass die-offs of Akoya oysters at pearl farms mainly in Ehime and Mie led to a decline in cultured pearl production.
