Overseas expansion by health food companies is gaining momentum, with Taiwan and Vietnam attracting particular attention. This summary highlights the latest developments, including the reasons behind the decline in exports to China and growing demand for halal certification.
In the health food market, companies are increasingly expanding beyond Japan into overseas markets, and the proportion of Japanese companies engaged in contract manufacturing for overseas markets is also rising. Taiwan received the most votes as a key trading partner, followed by China and Vietnam, which were also frequently cited. This reflects expansion into a range of markets, including Southeast Asia and the West.
According to trade statistics from the Ministry of Finance, exports of dietary supplements to China topped the list in 2025 at ¥10.5 billion, accounting for more than 40% of the total. Exports to Taiwan totaled ¥4.2 billion, followed by Hong Kong at ¥2.5 billion and Vietnam at ¥2.4 billion. The decline in exports to China is believed to reflect the sluggish domestic economy and the impact of Japan-China relations.
Taiwan has a population of approximately 23 million and high levels of trust in Japanese products, but some have pointed out that consumers have become less inclined to make uncritical choices since the red yeast rice issue. Vietnam has a population of approximately 100 million, and distribution of supplements and health-oriented foods is expanding as health awareness rises. Several Japanese companies also participated in Fi Vietnam2026.
Halal certification is considered important when exporting to Muslim markets, but only 13.2% of companies have adopted it. Japanese halal certification is regarded as part of Japan's competitive advantage, and some are calling on companies to take up the challenge while comparing the services offered by the various certification bodies.