According to Minato Shimbun, on September 11, Kyokuyo held a trade exhibition and business-matching event in Osaka in cooperation with its Osaka, Nagoya, Hiroshima and Fukuoka branches. Around 500 seafood and processed food products were showcased to approximately 760 customers and business partners.
Among the products on display, Kyokuyo placed particular emphasis on pangasius and herring as relatively affordable seafood options with stable supply. This factor is becoming increasingly important in Japan as prices of many traditional seafood products rise and supplies from wild fisheries become more difficult to predict.
The Osaka event was not an isolated initiative. Previously, at the Japan International Seafood & Technology Expo in Tokyo from August 19–21, Kyokuyo also identified pangasius as one of the key seafood products to promote. The company organized product tasting and demonstrations to engage commercial customers.
Notably, Kyokuyo already offers Vietnamese pangasius through Japan’s professional food distribution channels. One of the products marketed is frozen, skinless and boneless Vietnamese pangasius fillet, processed in Vietnam and suitable for a variety of Japanese, Western and Chinese dishes.
The continued promotion of pangasius by a major Japanese seafood group indicates a changing position for the product in the Japanese market. Rather than being viewed simply as a low-priced whitefish, pangasius is gaining an opportunity to be positioned as a competitively priced raw material with consistent quality, versatility and year-round supply.
This trend is also reflected in Vietnam’s export performance. According to Vietnam Customs data, in the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Japan reached US$36.31 million, up 20.8% year on year. In August alone, exports totaled US$5.47 million, an increase of 23.7%.
Although this remains small compared with Vietnam’s major pangasius markets, growth of more than 20% indicates a clear improvement in demand in Japan. In particular, interest from major importers and distributors could create additional opportunities for pangasius to enter retail, foodservice and convenient processed-food channels.
The outlook for pangasius in Japan is also supported by developments in the global whitefish market. Supplies of some traditional wild-caught species are tightening while prices remain high, prompting importers to seek alternative raw materials with more reliable supply. Vietnamese pangasius has a significant advantage in this regard thanks to controlled production, large-scale output and diverse processing capabilities.
Japan, however, imposes stringent requirements on quality, consistency, food safety, product specifications and supply-chain stability. Therefore, pangasius growth in the market will depend not only on price competitiveness but also on the ability to develop products tailored to Japanese consumer preferences and distribution channels.
Kyokuyo’s continued inclusion of pangasius in its recommended product portfolio is therefore a notable signal. If the current growth momentum continues and Vietnam expands from frozen fillets into processed, convenient and value-added products, Japan could become an increasingly valuable niche market for Vietnamese pangasius.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
(vasep.com.vn) Changing markets, shifting buyer demand, and increasingly complex trade barriers are raising a key question for Vietnam’s seafood industry: Where will the new growth opportunities lie in 2027–2029?
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As of the end of August 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States reached $21 million, representing a steep 48% year-over-year decline and accounting for 23% of the country's total tilapia export turnover. Frozen fillets accounted for 78% with the remainder consisting of whole frozen tilapia and frozen cuts.
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