🦀 Dataset: Japan Frozen King Crab Imports

🦀 Dataset: Japan Frozen King Crab Import Statistics (1990–2025)

Released January 2026

This dataset provides a comprehensive view of Japan’s imports of frozen king crabs and related species over a 36-year period. It includes monthly data on import volume, import value, and average import prices in a structured tabular format.

The data are broken down by major supplying countries: Russia, the United States, Norway, and Others (all remaining countries combined), along with totals. This dataset is invaluable for businesses selling crab products to Japan and for analysts monitoring global crab trade trends.

When analyzing Japan’s frozen king crab imports, the first point of focus should be crabs originating from Russia, which accounted for 99% of Japan’s king crab imports in 2025. The dataset shows that, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the U.S. ban on seafood originating from Russia, imports from Russia to Japan surged, only to drop sharply again in 2025.

Average import prices are listed in Japanese yen, allowing international buyers and analysts to gauge price from the perspective of the Japanese market. It also makes it easy to compare prices from Russia, the United States, and Norway in yen.

The dataset is available for download after agreeing to the terms of use. To mark the launch of the Minato News Data Station, it is currently scheduled to be available for free download until the end of March 2026.

📦 What’s Included Excel Table (Single Table)

• Japan’s imports of frozen king crabs (1990–2025, monthly)
• Covers three King crab species: red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus), blue king crab (P. platypus), and brown king crab (P. brevipes), without species-level breakdown
• Units: Volume in metric tons, Import Value in thousands of JPY (CIF), Average Import Price in JPY/kg (CIF)
• Source: Japan’s Trade Statistics, Ministry of Finance

👤 Recommended For

• Trading companies handling frozen king crab and snow crab
• Crab industry stakeholders in Russia, the United States, Canada, Norway, and other producing countries
• Seafood consultants, analysts, and market researchers

💡 Why This Dataset Matters

• Saves significant time on historical data collection and cleaning
• Reduces effort required to compile Japanese-language trade statistics
• Provides a long-term quantitative view of Japan’s role in the global crab market