Italian wine conquering Japan, between commercial bonds and shared cultural values

It is the first outlet market for Italian wine in Asia, in 2024 it was worth 184 million euros (+0.5%), out of a continental total of 434 million euros, and it is increasingly proving to be a strategic destination for the wine industry (and in general for the entire agri-food sector) made in Italy. This is Japan, theater of Expo Osaka 2025, and which shares not only a commercial link with Italy, but also a cultural one: “the Japanese are very attentive and particularly demanding, and this applies to wine as well as to all Italian food products. And with special attention to the quality of ingredients and respect for the product, Japan is one of the countries in the world most capable of understanding the added value of our agri-food sector and appreciating it for what it is really worth”, said Luigi Scordamaglia, ceo Filiera Italia in the conference “Market Trends and Opportunities for Italian Wine in Asia”, at the Italian Pavilion at Expo, organized, today, by the Ice Agency and Veronafiere to take a look at the Japanese market, including opportunities and trends to follow in a country that “speaks the same language as us, that of care for the single ingredient and details”.
There, in Japan, where Italian agribusiness exports grew by +157.8% between 1995 and 2005, an increase of almost 100 percentage points over the +58.9% growth recorded by global exports in the sector over the same period. Considering, however, the 2015-2024 range, Italian food industry exports to Japan increased from 724.8 million euros to 980.4 million euros, an increase of +35.3 percent, while the sector’s global exports grew by +95.9% over the same period, reaching 56.778 billion euros.
A strategic country, therefore, also to try to hit the 100 billion euro record for made-in-Italy agrifood exports: “Agriculture Minister Lollobrigida has indicated a clear trajectory: to take Italian agrifood exports to 100 billion euros. This is an achievable goal, because Italian agribusiness is registering solid and steady growth performances”, said Ice president Matteo Zoppas. “Our wine is no longer only linked to Italian food, but is also finding a place in Asian food. Therefore, it is necessary to match the right producer with the right customer”.
It is also important, however, to team up all together: “the Japanese market is mature because consumers want to know and know, but coordination, planning, training and information are needed”, stresses Federico Bricolo, president of Veronafiere, “and Sistema Italia, with the union of intentions between embassies, Ice Agency, government, chambers of commerce, consortiums and regions, can make the difference”.
And so, called upon, Lollobrigida recalls how “Italy’s political presence in the Asian market guarantees entrepreneurs opportunities to work at their best”, in a Japan that “is a friendly country” and “that appreciates our products, our lifestyle and our cuisine”.
Confagricoltura President Massimiliano Giansanti draws a general balance and looks to the future with optimism: “at Expo 2015 in Milan, Italian agrifood exports were worth 28 billion euros, today they exceed 70 billion. Asia represents a mosaic of markets that are extremely diverse in terms of culture, economy and regulation: a complex challenge, but also a huge opportunity for Italian wine. Japan for Italy is number 1, it is showing signs of vitality and estimates say its GDP will return above 2%, so here we must continue to invest”.
Invest also in the No and Low Alcohol segment, according to Marzia Varvaglione, president Ceev-Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins, who explains how “the Japanese are hypersalutists and the healthy trend is growing”, making this country “one of the most interesting markets. A niche whose space should not be left to other beverages”.
There is no shortage of regulatory hurdles: “between registrations and analytical standards that are distant from EU regulations, so many are the bureaucratic complexities for our companies in Japan”, admits Francesca Migliarucci, Federvini International Affairs manager. A theme that is also taken up by Stefano Bottega, co-owner of Bottega Vini and president of Gruppo Vinicolo Cve, who explains, “in addition to wine we also produce grappa, but to export it to Japan for a series of regulations we have to produce an ad hoc one. More streamlined practices would be needed, and in my opinion that’s where we need to focus”.
Among the themes of the conference, to lighten up a bit, there is also space for possible pairings between Italian wine and Japanese food. Lamberto Frescobaldi, president of Uiv-Unione Italiana Vini and head of the Frescobaldi Group, explains how Pinot Noir goes well, for example, with fish, one of the typical foods of Japanese cuisine, while for Diva Moretti Polegato, export area manager Villa Sandi, Cartizze is perfect for sushi and, in general, Prosecco goes well with sushi rolls and kaiseki.
Nadia Zenato, owner of Zenato, talked about how to enhance and tell the story of Italian wine in Japan by leveraging “the uniqueness of our product”, while Vera Malisiani, of Ethica Wines, explained how “Pacific Asia is a huge market where it is easy to get lost. Each country has different challenges depending on the product and the producer, so efforts, time and resources should be optimized. The importer must also know how to be a cultural mediator with whom the company shares commercial, relational and value objectives and effective communication”.
And speaking of communication, in addition to that of wine, Parmigiano Reggiano also speaks Japanese and conquers the Rising Sun by launching a new project worth over 3 million euros (80% co-financed by the European Union) with which the Consortium aims to strengthen the presence of the PDO in its first Asian market: Japan, precisely, which, in 2024, recorded a growth of +6.1%, with almost 900 tons exported. The official debut will be staged tomorrow, June 6, with the event “The Way of Parmigiano Reggiano”, at the prestigious Kanze Noh Theater in Ginza, in the heart of Tokyo.