ICE, Aeon Renew Italian Food Push in Japan
The 18-month project expands promotion of Italian agri-food products across more than 500 Japanese retail locations.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Japanese Food
The ICE Office in Tokyo and the Aeon Group are renewing their project to promote Italian agri-food products in Japan's retail sector, running from October 2026 to March 2028. Aeon launched a dedicated webpage featuring Italian products distributed in Japan.
Why it matters
The renewal is aimed at consolidating and expanding the presence of Italian food and wine in the Japanese market, according to Sistema Italia. It builds on an earlier collaboration that produced measurable consumer sales.
Aeon imports more than 170 products from 42 Italian companies for distribution across Japan. The renewed project spans 18 months and involves over 500 retail locations nationwide.
The players
Aeon Group
Aeon Group is one of Japan's largest retail conglomerates, operating supermarkets, shopping centers and related businesses across the country.
ICE Office in Tokyo
The ICE Office in Tokyo is the Japan branch of Italy's Trade Promotion Agency, which supports the export of Italian products to foreign markets.
Sistema Italia
Sistema Italia is a promotional initiative focused on expanding the presence of Italian food and wine in the Japanese market.
The details
The project is carried out with support from the Italian Embassy in Japan, the ICE Office in Tokyo, and the Aeon Group. The Italian Fair 2026, organized by Aeon and Sistema Italia as part of Italian Cuisine Week Around the World, ran from October 29 to November 3 and drew engagement from over 280,000 consumers.
Timeline
September 2024 to February 2026: Consumer purchases of Italian products total about 5 million euros.
October 29 to November 3, 2026: Italian Fair 2026 runs at 28 retail locations.
October 2026 to March 2028: Renewed ICE-Aeon project period.
Market Landscape
The renewal extends a cooperative export-promotion model in which Italian trade agencies partner with large Japanese retailers to place regional food products on shelves at scale. It positions Italian agri-food alongside other imported European goods competing for shelf space in Japan's retail sector.
Shoppers at participating Aeon locations are likely to find a broader selection of Italian products across the 18-month project period. Those who enjoy Italian food may see these items more readily available on retail shelves in Japan.
The takeaway
Retail partnerships between national trade agencies and large chains can give imported food products sustained shelf presence rather than one-off promotions. Consumers interested in trying Italian products can look for dedicated featured sections at participating retailers during the project period.
Further reading
Explore more on Japanese Food to see how imported ingredients and products fit into everyday Japanese retail.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ANSA.
