Japan Posts Record-Low Food Loss in FY 2023

   Tokyo, June 27 (Jiji Press)--The estimated amount of food either lost or wasted in Japan in fiscal 2023 fell 1.7 pct from the previous year to a record low of 4.64 million tons, government data showed Friday.
   In the year that ended in March 2024, food businesses disposed of an estimated 2.31 million tons and households 2.33 million tons, down 2.1 pct and 1.3 pct, respectively.
   Both figures are the lowest since comparable data became available in fiscal 2012, but they failed to meet the government's targets of curbing the business sector's food loss and waste at 2.19 million tons and households' waste at 2.16 million tons, according to the data, compiled by the agriculture and environment ministries and the Consumer Affairs Agency.
   More specifically, food manufacturers discarded 1.08 million tons, eateries 660,000 tons and retailers 480,000 tons.
   Although food waste in the service sector increased 60,000 tons from the year before amid a recovery in demand for eating out after the COVID-19 crisis, the food industry's overall loss and waste declined as food donations became common, government officials said.

(2025/06/27-16:19)