North Dakota Beef Expert Studies Japan's Beef Market

Travis Maddock joined a U.S. Meat Export Federation trip to examine how Japanese chefs and retailers use American beef.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Japanese Food

Screen-print poster illustration of a charcoal yakiniku grill with bite-sized beef pieces, evoking Japanese grilled-beef dining. — North Dakota beef expert Travis Maddock joined a U.S. Meat Export Federation trip to study how Japanese chefs and retailers use American beef. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

North Dakota Beef Commission ex-officio Travis Maddock traveled to Japan with the U.S. Meat Export Federation Heartland Team. The trip included visits to culinary schools, a grocery store and a beef tongue processing facility.

Why it matters

Japan relies on imports for about 60% of its beef consumption, and U.S. beef accounted for 37% of its total beef imports in 2025. The trip offers insight into how U.S. producers can keep and grow their share of a key export market for North Dakota's beef industry.

U.S. beef accounted for 216,575 metric tons, or 37%, of Japan's total beef imports in 2025. The United States held 73% of Japan's chilled tongue imports and 71% of its short plate imports that year, though the source does not compare these shares with earlier years.

The players

Travis Maddock

Maddock is an ex-officio member of the North Dakota Beef Commission who traveled to Japan on the trip.

U.S. Meat Export Federation

The U.S. Meat Export Federation is a nonprofit organization that promotes American meat and poultry in international markets and organized the Heartland Team trip.

The details

Maddock visited a culinary school in Tokyo and Sendai, Hanew Foods in Sendai, and an Ito Yokado grocery store in Tokyo, where he viewed beef offerings. Beef tongue is a popular menu item in Japan, and most U.S. beef there is sold through foodservice, with yakiniku featuring bite-sized pieces of meat grilled at the table.

2025: Japan imported 216,575 metric tons of U.S. beef and U.S. market share figures were recorded.
November 4, 2026: The article on the North Dakota Beef Commission's Japan trip was published.

Culture Shift

Japan's dependence on imported beef, which supplies about 60% of its consumption, has made the country a key outlet for U.S. producers seeking to expand foodservice sales. Trips like this one reflect a broader effort by American beef groups to build relationships with Japanese chefs and retailers who shape demand for specific cuts.

North Dakota cattle producers and beef buyers who sell into export markets may see how Japanese foodservice demand for specific cuts such as tongue and short plate shapes export opportunities. Readers interested in Japanese dishes like yakiniku can expect U.S. beef to remain a common foodservice option in Japan based on current import shares.

The takeaway

U.S. beef's strong share of Japan's specialty cuts shows how targeted market work with chefs and processors can matter as much as overall volume. Producers and buyers following export trends can track these cut-specific shares as a clearer signal of demand than total import figures alone.