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The koi industry and exports

By the koi.wiki editorial team · Updated

Key facts: The koi industry centers on Niigata Prefecture and other Japanese production areas, with nishikigoi (錦鯉) designated by Japan's agriculture ministry as a key export product; in 2025, Japanese koi exports reached roughly ¥9.97 billion, up 37.9% year on year[1].
Nishikigoi (錦鯉), ornamental koi, form a distinct branch of Japan's agricultural export economy. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) added koi to its list of priority export products in December 2022[2][3], and government agencies now track koi exports alongside other food and agricultural goods[5].Domestic production is concentrated in a handful of prefectures, led by Niigata, with total national sales volume around 2.48 million fish in 2024[4][3]. Exports have grown substantially over the past decade, driven by demand in North America, East and Southeast Asia, and Europe[4][3].

Domestic production

According to the Fisheries Agency of Japan, 399 business entities were engaged in koi aquaculture in Japan as of fiscal year 2023, of which 383 operated it as a main business[3]. National production volume was about 2.48 million fish in 2024[3], a figure that a JETRO report attributes in part to a shift from mass-producing small, cheap fish toward smaller-volume production of larger, higher-unit-price fish favored by overseas buyers[4].Niigata Prefecture accounted for 57% of koi-farming business entities and 42% of national shipment volume in fiscal 2023[3].A typical Niigata production cycle runs from spawning in late April through June, with fry moved from outdoor mud ponds to greenhouse ponds from September, followed by repeated grading (selection) and sale through the following years as fish mature toward show size[3]. Readers interested in the rearing stages can see related detail on mud ponds (Niigata field ponds) and fry rearing and culling (senbetsu).

Export value and growth

Japan's nishikigoi exports (classified under HS code 0301.11-200) totaled approximately ¥7.23 billion in 2024, an 8.0% increase over the prior year, according to JETRO[4]. A later JETRO report, citing MAFF trade statistics, states that 2025 exports rose a further 37.9% to about ¥9.973 billion[1]. The Fisheries Agency of Japan similarly reports export value expanding to roughly ¥10 billion (100億円) in 2025[3].MAFF's broader 2025 export results report state that "nishikigoi" (錦鯉) exports increased by ¥2.7 billion yen-equivalent (+27億円), with growth to China attributed to the renewal of facility accreditation and growth to the United States attributed to local promotional activity[5]. The same MAFF dataset records nishikigoi export value for the January–December 2025 period at ¥9,973 million, up 37.9% year on year[5].

Export destinations

According to the Fisheries Agency of Japan, in 2025 (令和7年) the largest export destination was the United States at 27% of export value, followed by China (23%), Indonesia (8%), Vietnam (6%), Germany (5%), the Netherlands (5%), the United Kingdom (6%), Thailand (4%) and Malaysia (2%), with other countries making up the remainder[3].JETRO's 2024 country breakdown placed the United States first at ¥1,189.87 million (16.5% of export value), Vietnam second at ¥1,049.32 million (14.5%), and Hong Kong third at ¥914.07 million (12.6%)[4]. JETRO notes that, per Ministry of Finance trade statistics, Japan exported koi to 35 countries and regions in fiscal 2024, including South Africa, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates[4].A secondary journalistic source from 2008 states that Europe and the United States were the largest buyers of koi by volume, while the most expensive individual fish were sold within Asia, reflecting differing market appreciation[6]. This account is dated and does not reflect current export statistics.

Government targets and trade policy

Nishikigoi was designated a priority export item (輸出重点品目) by the Japanese government in December 2022[2][3].MAFF identifies the strengths underpinning koi exports as increasing purchases of premium koi by wealthy overseas Chinese communities and the ability to market koi, alongside bonsai, as a symbol of Japanese culture[4]. The All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association (全日本錦鯉振興会) is recognized by MAFF as a certified export-promotion organization for the item and conducts overseas marketing activity[4][3]; readers can learn more about the organization on the page for the All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association (JNPA).Export is affected by quarantine requirements in destination countries intended to prevent the spread of diseases such as koi herpesvirus (KHV); bilateral quarantine conditions can require health certificates and on-site inspection of Japanese facilities, and exports to China were suspended for roughly a year from around November 2023 after Chinese authorities did not renew accreditation of registered facilities[4].

Logistics and industry challenges

Because koi are shipped live, transport time is generally limited to about 48 hours, which makes air freight the main shipping method and limits practical access to destinations without direct flights from Japan[4][3]. Shipping methods described by the Fisheries Agency involve sealed plastic bags filled with water and oxygen, placed in cardboard boxes, with additives inside the bags to absorb carbon dioxide and ammonia[3]. MAFF notes that feeding is halted for several days before shipment to limit fouling of the water from waste[7]. General practices for shipping ornamental fish, including standardized box sizing and export permit inspection requirements, are also described for the broader ornamental fish trade in the United States[8][9].JETRO identifies expansion of aquaculture facilities as a further constraint, since Japan's Agricultural Land Act restricts conversion of abandoned farmland to aquaculture use, limiting producers' ability to scale up supply[4]. New-market development is also described as a priority, with Niigata Prefecture conducting a 2024 trial in Sri Lanka to test koi exports as a hub for shipments to India and the Middle East, examining transport methods and water-temperature management[4].A 2026 JETRO report describes industry efforts to protect the value of "Japanese-origin" branding against competition from koi produced in other countries, including China and Southeast Asia, through traceability tools such as an electronic production-certificate system and exploratory use of microchip identification[1][3]. A private exporter based in Niigata's Ojiya, cited by JETRO as Japan Koi Service, reported exporting to more than 20 countries and regions including Europe, the United States, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan[1].

Broader ornamental fish trade context

Koi exports form a small part of the wider global ornamental fish trade. According to the University of Florida IFAS Extension, worldwide imports of ornamental fish and invertebrates were valued at approximately $278 million, while broader pet-industry estimates placed the aquarium hobby's value at more than $1 billion[10]. The United States is described as the world's single largest importer of ornamental fish, with the European Union collectively the largest market[10].A Wikipedia summary states that the fishkeeping industry is a multibillion-dollar sector worldwide, with the ornamental fish trade estimated to grow by roughly $4.49 billion between 2024 and 2028, and notes that Southeast Asian countries remain the dominant exporters of ornamental fish generally, a category broader than koi alone[11].

Common questions

How much were Japan's koi exports worth in 2025?
According to JETRO, Japanese nishikigoi export value reached approximately ¥9.973 billion in 2025, a 37.9% increase over the prior year[1]; MAFF's own trade statistics for the same period record a similar figure[5].
Which countries import the most Japanese koi?
For 2025, the Fisheries Agency of Japan lists the United States (27% of export value) and China (23%) as the top destinations, followed by Indonesia, the United Kingdom, Vietnam, Germany, the Netherlands, Thailand and Malaysia[3]. JETRO's 2024 figures instead rank the United States first, Vietnam second, and Hong Kong third[4].
Where is most koi production located in Japan?
Niigata Prefecture is the largest producer, accounting for 57% of koi-farming business entities and 42% of national shipment volume in fiscal 2023, according to the Fisheries Agency of Japan[3].
Why is koi export limited to certain countries?
Live koi can generally only be transported for about 48 hours, making air freight necessary and effectively limiting exports to destinations with direct flights from Japan; importing countries' animal quarantine rules for diseases such as koi herpesvirus also affect which markets are accessible[4][3].
Has the Japanese government set future export targets for koi?
Under its May 2025 export expansion strategy, MAFF has set a goal of ¥10 billion in total koi export value by 2030, broken down by region including Southeast Asia, the EU, and China and Hong Kong[4].

References

  1. ^ デジタル技術を活用した日本産錦鯉の価値普及 | 地域・分析レポート - 海外ビジネス情報 - ジェトロ. JETRO. jetro.go.jp/biz/areareports/2026/6c494243103c23ea.html. Retrieved November 2026.
  2. ^ History of the All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association - All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association. All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association. jnpa.info/en/about/history/. Retrieved November 2026.
  3. ^ Inland water fisheries information no. 47 (Fisheries Agency of Japan). Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan). jfa.maff.go.jp/j/enoki/attach/pdf/naisuimeninfo-47.pdf. Retrieved November 2026.
  4. ^ 日本の伝統文化・美意識の象徴、錦鯉を世界へ発信 | 地域・分析レポート - 海外ビジネス情報 - ジェトロ. JETRO. jetro.go.jp/biz/areareports/2025/ee7cac04ab0dfd5d.html. Retrieved November 2026.
  5. ^ 2025 agricultural, forestry and fishery export results (MAFF, Feb 2026). Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan). maff.go.jp/j/press/yusyutu_kokusai/kikaku/attach/pdf/260203-1.pdf. Retrieved November 2026.
  6. ^ Asia's love of koi (AFP, May 2008). thingsasian.com. thingsasian.com/node/2605.html. Retrieved November 2026.
  7. ^ 特集「年々、人気上昇中！ 錦鯉の魅力」：農林水産省. Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan). maff.go.jp/j/pr/aff/2308/spe1_03.html. Retrieved November 2026.
  8. ^ SRAC Publication No. 3903: Shipping Fish in Boxes. Southern Regional Aquaculture Center. srac.msstate.edu/pdfs/Fact%20Sheets/3903%20Shipping%20Fish%20in%20B…. Retrieved November 2026.
  9. ^ UF/IFAS EDIS FA120: Preparation of Ornamental Fish for Shipping. University of Florida IFAS Extension (EDIS). ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FA120. Retrieved November 2026.
  10. ^ UF/IFAS EDIS FA124: The Ornamental Fish Trade. University of Florida IFAS Extension (EDIS). ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FA124. Retrieved November 2026.
  11. ^ Fishkeeping (Wikipedia). Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishkeeping. Retrieved November 2026.