With the support of USMEF member suppliers and the local consul general, USMEF provided a comprehensive overview of the U.S. red-meat industry to more than 140 members of the regional meat trade in Naha, the capital city of Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture on Okinawa island. Okinawa is a popular destination for inbound tourists and domestic travelers, especially as the weakened yen makes international travel expensive.
With a long-standing U.S. military presence on the island, Okinawans are familiar with American food culture but primarily consume beef from Australia and New Zealand and pork from the European Union. As tourism rebounds on the island, USMEF determined the time was right to begin differentiating U.S. beef and pork in this market.