Japan's Shrimp Market: Whiteleg for Volume, Black Tiger for Premium

An earlier VASEP analysis (6 April 2026) set out how Japanese demand divides by species. As of 15 March 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to Japan stood at USD 89 million, up 2% year on year and 10.4% of total shrimp export value.

Whiteleg shrimp carried USD 386.7 million in 2025 — roughly 65–70% of the value Vietnam ships to Japan — serving mass retail and food service programmes. Black tiger ranked second at USD 93.2 million, retaining its place in higher-value products even though its scale has contracted against four or five years ago, as Japanese households absorb cost-of-living pressure.

The segmentation is useful when planning a product mix: whiteleg for everyday volume lines, black tiger where a buyer is selling on appearance and eating quality. Japan remains a market that demands high and consistent standards on both.

TAVICO SEAFOOD supplies both species from Ca Mau in HOSO, HLSO and PD formats, alongside IQF shrimp cake. Specifications and size grades are available on request.

Source: VASEP — Xuất khẩu tôm Việt Nam sang Nhật: Giữ lợi thế ở hàng chế biến, đón cơ hội từ xu hướng tiêu dùng mới