It turns out that Japan’s imports reflect the surprise of the COVID-19 pandemic, with items like bananas -that were rather inconspicuous until recently- seeing record highs in 2020. This result might be due to a surge in “cocoon consumption,” the result of people staying at home instead of enjoying time out.
According to trade statistics released by the Ministry of Finance, the value of bananas imported from January to November in 2020 stood at about 97.69 billion JPY ($941.4 million USD), up 0.5% from the same period a year before. This year, there is a high possibility of banana imports breaking the record for a second straight year, despite the overall shrinkage of trade due to the COVID-19 crisis, the ministry said.
Officials at Tokyo Customs, who have jurisdiction over the Port of Tokyo which has both the highest volume and value of imported bananas among ports in Japan, say bananas have become increasingly popular. The reason, the officials surmise, is that bananas “can provide a suitable quick light meal”. They also note that health-consciousness may be on the rise as people spend longer hours at home due to the temporary closure of schools and telework.
