Chicken meat prices in Japan have climbed to record highs, forcing supermarkets to pivot their sales strategies toward domestic poultry [1].
This surge affects the most affordable protein option for many consumers, as beef and pork prices also remain elevated across the country [1].
Retail data from May 2024 shows the price for chicken thigh meat reached 154 yen per 100 grams [2]. At the wholesale level, the average price for chicken thigh was 856 yen per kilogram during the same month [3].
Restaurant owners are feeling the impact of these costs. Muhanpocha Robin Selchan, a Korean restaurant owner, said that while chicken was available for about 500 yen per kilogram during cheaper periods last year, it now costs approximately 850 yen per kilogram [1].
The cost of imported chicken has seen a sharp increase. Prices for imported poultry have nearly doubled compared to five years ago [4]. Currently, imported chicken is about twice as expensive as domestic chicken [1].
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Suzuki said the trend is due to a consumer-saving mindset [1]. Because of the high cost of imports, supermarkets are now focusing their promotional sales on domestic chicken to maintain affordability for shoppers [1].
These price spikes are visible in major hubs including Tokyo's Shin-Ōkubo district, and throughout Aichi prefecture [5, 6].
“Imported chicken is about twice as expensive as domestic chicken.”
The shift in chicken pricing represents a significant change in Japanese consumer behavior. For years, chicken served as the primary budget-friendly alternative to expensive beef and pork. With imported chicken now costing double the price of domestic meat, the government's focus on domestic production is a strategic move to stabilize food security and mitigate the impact of global inflation on the average household's grocery bill.
