TOKYO, Aug. 19 – Japan’s fruits export to Malaysia is expanding significantly. Notably, the export of Japanese pears and peaches is experiencing a big surge. As the number of Malaysian travelers grew, a greater number of the Malaysians have become big fans of Japanese fruits and they buy more fruits from Japan even after returning home. The number of visitors from Malaysia to Japan is expected to rise in the future, and the number of fruits export from Japan is likely to elevate as well.
According to the trade statistics released by the Ministry of Finance, Japan’s fruits export to Malaysia in 2017 was 245 tons, up 15% from a year earlier, and hit the highest record since 1988. The rise in the number of export of Japanese pears and peaches was prominent, with the export of pears grew 37% to 29 tons and peaches 2.2 times to 21 tons compared to the previous year. The fruits export from Japan to Malaysia from January to June this year reached 119 tons, 2.1 times of the previous earlier.
The number of Malaysian visitors to Japan jumped because of the relaxation of Japan’s visa restrictions for Malaysians in 2013. As a result, Japan welcomed around 440,000 Malaysians in 2017, 3.4 times of 130,000 in 2012. In January to July this year, the number of the Malaysian travelers to Japan increased 10% year-over-year to 260,000. It likely to provide another boost for the expansion of Japan’s fruits export to Malaysia.