Fifteen years after the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster, market sentiment toward Fukushima-produced agricultural and livestock products has yet to fully recover, according to a recent report.
The Tokyo Shimbun reported Sunday that a Japanese government survey on the distribution of Fukushima-produced agricultural products showed the price of Fukushima beef per kilogram was 4.3% below the national average in 2010. After the nuclear accident in 2011, prices plunged to 29.4% below the national average. Prices have gradually recovered since then but remained 6.9% below the Japanese national average as of last year.
The same survey found that Fukushima peaches were priced 5.9% below the national average per kilogram in 2010, with the gap widening to 42.8% in 2011. As of last year, prices were still 17.5% below the national average.
'Image Risk' Persists Despite Safety Assurances
The price gap is attributed to long-accumulated consumer anxiety and negative perceptions regarding radioactive contamination. Immediately after the nuclear accident, cases exceeding safety standards were confirmed, severely undermining market trust. Strict comprehensive inspections and sampling systems were subsequently introduced.
In recent years, cases exceeding the safety threshold have virtually disappeared, but consumer perceptions remain anchored to memories of the past, observers say. The delayed price recovery of peaches — despite never having a single case exceeding safety standards — illustrates this point.
Local farmers are accelerating differentiation strategies for survival. Moving beyond simple shipment-focused operations, they have begun developing proprietary brands through crossbreeding and are pushing into the premium market. A notable example involves a new breed crossing Japanese Black Wagyu with Tankaku cattle, targeting the high-end food ingredient market.
Distribution strategies are also shifting. Farmers are expanding beyond direct sales outlets to large retailers and online channels to broaden consumer touchpoints, while also pursuing product commercialization through corporate partnerships. Some cases have emerged where Fukushima-sourced ingredients are featured in menus through welfare-oriented food services in an effort to improve public perception.
Tourism Still Lagging — Korean Visitors Remain Scarce
The aftershocks extend to the tourism sector as well. South Koreans account for a large share of foreign visitors to Japan, but visits to Fukushima remain limited.
According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) and Fukushima Prefecture statistics, of the 3.5975 million foreign tourists who visited Japan in January this year, 1.176 million were South Korean. However, only about 4,300 South Koreans stayed at accommodation facilities in Fukushima Prefecture last year — roughly one-tenth of pre-disaster levels.
Meanwhile, voices on social media express frustration that "there is a limit to how much individuals can increase their consumption of Fukushima produce," alongside calls for "continued information disclosure and trust restoration."