LaVerne E. Brabant
Japan Country Director, American Soybean Association
Appointed as the ASA-IM Japan Country Director in Oct. 2008 assuming his duties in Tokyo Nov. 2008. Just prior to joining ASA-IM Japan Brabant served as the Agricultural Trade Officer for USDA’s FAS in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul, 1983-2008. Prior to FAS he served as Executive Director of the Mid-America International Agri-Trade Council Chicago.
US Soy Industry celebrated its 50th Anniversary in Japan in 2006.
Japan is a mature yet large and key soybean market for the U. S. Industry totaling some 4.2 MMT, 95% from imports. Approximately 72% of the total soybean supplies in Japan are used for oil; 25 % for food, and about 3 % for feed.
Japan is an important customer as the third largest market totaling more than 2.96 MMT (109 million bushels) valued at $1.3 billion in 2008 including a significant volumes of Identity Preserve Food Grade Soybeans with a 51% US market share of total food soybean imports. Japan’s requirement all Food Grade Soybeans originate from non-biotech varieties is the driver of the IP market mainly used for Japanese diet staples such as tofu, natto, miso, soy sauce, soy milk and other specialty-functional foods. Largely as a result of ASA-IM Japan efforts major Japanese soy food manufacturers perceive the U.S. as a reliable supplier of IP variety and other specific food grade soybeans.
Japan continues critical to the industry’s export marketing of US soybeans and products. Based on a long-term and highly developed trade relationship the U.S. soybean industry has with Japan’s crushing and food industries the U.S. continues to meet Japan’s soybean requirements. ASA-IM serves this industry through education, trade-quality conferences and missions as well as technical assistance which all add value to this important partnership.
