Japan imported more than 1,500 tonnes of bananas from Vietnam worth JPY166 million (US$1.3 million), a year-on-year rise of 38.5% in volume and 30.2% in value, reports Japan Customs.

According to Soichi Okazaki, executive officer of AEON Co Ltd, Japan is importing bananas from several markets, including Ecuador, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, and Costa Rica. However, Vietnamese bananas have gained a foothold in Japan thanks to their competitive prices and good taste.

Despite recording strong growth, Vietnamese bananas make up only 0.6% of Japan's total banana imports.

Japan Customs reports that Japan spent JPY22.4 billion (roughly US$171.2 million) on importing 244,000 tonnes of bananas in the first quarter of 2022, a decline of 2.5% in volume and an increase of 3.5% in value.

The Philippines is Japan's largest supplier of bananas, while Vietnam is their seventh most significant fruit supplier.