Japanese Beer Imports to South Korea Surpass 100,000 Tons for First Time, Overtaking EU
Creatrip Team
22 days ago
South Korea’s imports of Japanese beer exceeded 100,000 tons for the first time in 2025, rising 22% from the previous year to 100,322 tons and making Japan the top source region for imported beer, surpassing the European Union. Japanese beer’s share of total beer imports reached 41.7% of 240,442 tons. Imports had fallen sharply after the 2019 ‘No Japan’ boycott (노 재팬) over Japan–Korea tensions, dropping below 10,000 tons in 2020–2021, but recovery began in 2022 and continued through 2024–2025. The largest volume came from Fukuoka Prefecture in Kyushu (규슈), home to major breweries like Asahi and Kirin; other notable sources were Oita in Kyushu and Aichi on Honshu. Japanese media note that beer consumption in Korea reflects bilateral relations, with some exporters reducing Japanese labels for the Korean market.
