Japan’s Sake Exports Hit Record 81 Markets With 6% Growth in 2025

Japan’s sake industry reached new heights in 2025, exporting to a record 81 markets worldwide and achieving a 6% increase in export value compared to the previous year. According to customs-based export statistics released by the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association, the total value of sake exports reached 45.9 billion yen. Export volume also rose by 8% year on year, totaling 33.55 million liters, or about 3.73 million cases based on a standard 9-liter case.

This performance marks the second-highest export result on record for Japanese sake. The average export unit price per 750 ml bottle declined slightly by 2% from the previous year, settling at 1,026 yen. Despite this minor decrease, the overall value of sake exports has nearly doubled since 2020, with a compound annual growth rate of 14% over the past five years. This positions sake as one of the fastest-growing categories in the global alcoholic beverage market.

Asia remained the largest regional destination for Japanese sake in 2025, with exports valued at 28.8 billion yen—an increase of 8% from the previous year and accounting for 63% of total export value. North America was the second-largest market, with exports totaling 12.4 billion yen. However, this represented a decrease of 1% from the previous year, making North America the only region to see a decline in sake imports. Its share of total export value also dropped by two percentage points to 27%.

Western Europe continued its steady growth as a destination for Japanese sake, with export value rising by 4% to reach 3 billion yen. Since 2020, exports to Western Europe have increased by 157%, outpacing the average growth rate for sake exports overall. Latin America showed remarkable progress as well, with exports expanding by 288% over five years and reaching ten countries in the region for the first time.

On a country-by-country basis, China was Japan’s largest export destination for sake in 2025. Exports to China reached 13.3 billion yen, up 14% from the previous year and representing 29% of total export value. The United States remained the second-largest market but saw a decline of 3%, with exports totaling 11 billion yen. This drop was attributed mainly to weaker performance in the third and fourth quarters of the year.

South Korea stood out among the top ten export destinations with strong growth. Sake exports to South Korea increased by 17% year on year to reach 4.4 billion yen—4.5 times higher than in 2020. Although the average unit price per bottle exported to South Korea remains below the global average, it has risen steadily over five years and reached 601 yen per bottle in 2025.

Industry leaders attribute this global expansion partly to increased international recognition of traditional Japanese sake-making techniques. In December 2024, UNESCO registered these skills as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, which led to heightened interest in koji culture and sake worldwide at the start of 2025.

The Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association responded by increasing its promotional activities abroad. These included participation in ProWein 2025—a major international wine and spirits trade fair—and hosting events at Japan’s state guesthouse during Expo-related activities in Osaka–Kansai. The association also continued its partnership with the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale, organizing masterclasses for sommeliers across Asia and Oceania in countries such as Malaysia and Singapore.

Hitoshi Utsunomiya, Director of the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association, said that fine-dining chefs, sommeliers, and consumers are increasingly recognizing both the diversity of sake’s flavor profiles and its potential for food pairing.

Looking ahead, efforts are underway to expand into new markets such as Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America. In November 2025, Professor Júlio César Kunz, Vice President of Brazil’s national sommelier association, joined an international group on a study tour of Japan’s Tohoku region aimed at raising awareness of sake in Brazil. Professor Kunz noted that both the taste profile and cultural symbolism of sake could appeal strongly to Brazilian consumers.

Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has set an ambitious target: reaching an annual sake export value of 76 billion yen by 2030. The Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association plans to continue its global outreach throughout 2026 to help achieve this goal by introducing more consumers around the world to Japanese sake.