Irish steak is to feature on the menu of a prominent restaurant chain in Japan for the first time.

Negishi will include Irish ribeye steak on its menus this Christmas season for thousands of customers.

The chain has 40 outlets around the Tokyo area and specialises in various kinds of grilled beef tongue, which is regarded as a delicacy in Japan.

From December 10 to 25, the restaurant chain will offer city dwellers the opportunity to experience grass-fed ribeye from Ireland across ten of its busiest locations.

Irish steak

Negishi, which serves around 100,000 customers/week across its restaurant network, was an early adopter of Irish beef in Japan.

The chain has now become a key customer of Irish beef produce.

Along with including Irish beef on its menus this festive season, Negishi will also offer customers the opportunity to buy a box of Irish steak and tongue online.

Market

Japan is the third largest importer of beef in the world.

Irish beef exports to Japan increased from 2,323t in 2019 to 4,120t in 2020; growing in value from €9.5 million to €15.7 million in the same period.

Duty on imported beef decreased from 38.5% in 2018 to 25% in 2021, a decline of 13.5%.

This has enabled Ireland to compete with Australia and the US, who command market share in Japan of 44% and 42% respectively.

Ireland is now the seventh-largest beef exporter to the Asian country.

Joe Moore, Bord Bia market specialist for Japan, said: “Knowledge and awareness of Ireland as a stable source of quality beef has increased significantly in the Japan market in recent years.

“Japan is one of the world’s largest meat importers, and Irish steak going on the menu in the foodservice channel is testament to the sustained efforts of the Irish food industry to break into this market.”

Bord Bia said although initial growth was in the form of tongue and other offal, more recently Japan has become a destination for prime beef.