Japan imported more wine than China in the first half of 2026 and spent more on it. The useful signal for a Spanish winery is not simply the market’s size. Japanese import volume was almost flat, while value rose by 5.8%. Growth came from what the market paid, not from a surge in litres. That points towards premium dining, hotels, specialist wine bars and occasions where service can justify the bottle.
The signal: value rose while volume barely moved
Vino Joy News analysed customs data for nine Asian markets from January to June 2026. Japan ranked first with 110.54 million litres of wine imports, down 0.72% from the previous year, and JPY 121.67 billion in value, about US$757 million, up 5.8%. Japan Customs publishes the underlying half-year trade statistics, while the Japan Wines and Spirits Importers’ Association provides monthly wine and spirits import tables.
China imported 101.4 million litres worth US$710.2 million in the same period, according to Chinese customs data compiled by Vino Joy News. Its volume fell 10.98%, while value edged up 0.83%. The comparison matters because China still dominates much of the conversation about Asian wine demand. In the first half of 2026, however, Japan was the larger imported-wine market on both measures.
This is not a volume-boom story. Japan’s 0.72% decline in litres is effectively stable, but the increase in value suggests a more expensive product mix, higher declared unit values or both. That distinction should shape any export plan. A winery that reads only the headline size may send too broad a range. A winery that reads the mix asks where higher-value bottles are actually consumed.
Why restaurants, hotels and sparkling wine matter
Japan imported JPY 50.92 billion of sparkling wine in the first six months of 2026. Bottled still wine in containers of two litres or less, excluding sherry and port, reached JPY 65.33 billion. Sparkling wine therefore represented a value pool approaching the size of the country’s core bottled-still category.
The channel context supports that picture. The Japan Foodservice Association reported that restaurant sales rose 9.8% year on year in May 2026. Dinner restaurants increased 10.6%, customer numbers rose 6.1% and average spend advanced 3.5%. June growth slowed, but remained positive.
Inbound travel is also adding spending to premium hospitality. The Japan Tourism Agency estimated visitor spending at JPY 2.51 trillion in April–June 2026, up 0.2% year on year. Average spending per visitor increased 3.3% to roughly JPY 244,000. Eating and drinking accounted for JPY 545.4 billion, or 21.7% of the total.
Inference: the combination of stable wine volume, higher import value, strong sparkling-wine spend and rising restaurant revenue favours a precise on-trade route. It does not prove that every premium Spanish wine will succeed, nor that tourism alone drives wine demand. It identifies the channels where a well-positioned reference has a better reason to be tested.
What this means for a Spanish exporting winery
Spain already has a live signal in the market. In the first quarter of 2026, Japan imported 8.8 million litres of Spanish wine, up 15.3%, but value fell 2.7% to €20.9 million, according to Japanese customs data analysed by OIVE. By the end of June, Japan was among the few top destinations where Spanish packaged-wine exports were growing in both volume and value. The periods and product scopes differ, but together they suggest that momentum improved during the second quarter.
The commercial question is not whether Japan is attractive. It is whether a particular wine has a credible role in one Japanese channel. A hotel restaurant may value consistency, training support and pairing versatility. A specialist wine bar may reward discovery and a concise origin story. A distributor serving casual chains needs a different price, supply and service model.
Three practical decisions
1. Choose one channel before choosing importers
Define the outlet first: premium hotel, independent restaurant, specialist wine bar or organised retail. Then shortlist importers whose current accounts, portfolio and logistics fit that route. A long importer list is not a strategy if the winery cannot say where the first 300 bottles should be poured.
2. Build a two-reference Japanese entry case
Lead with no more than two wines. One should match a proven occasion, such as sparkling wine for by-the-glass service or celebrations. The second should solve a food-pairing need without requiring a long explanation. Prepare EXW price, landed-price assumptions, annual availability, minimum order, closure, case configuration, technical information and service guidance in Japanese-ready form.
3. Measure sell-through account by account
Agree a small allocation across a defined group of outlets for 60 days. Record placements, glasses or bottles sold, stock remaining, staff feedback, guest objections and reorder intent. Separate tourist-heavy hotel accounts from local repeat-customer venues. The continuation decision should depend on reorder evidence and contribution margin, not on an importer’s first shipment alone.
A 60-day Japan test
ViniAI can turn one winery, two references and one target channel into a controlled Japan test: importer fit, outlet profile, landed-price model, Japanese-ready sales material and a sell-through scorecard. The winery provides the wines, EXW prices, available volume, current markets and any distribution restrictions. The output is a go, adjust or stop decision before a wider launch.
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Executive summary
Japan imported 110.54 million litres of wine worth JPY 121.67 billion in the first half of 2026. Volume was almost flat, but value rose 5.8%, leaving Japan ahead of China in both import volume and value for the period. Strong sparkling-wine spend, restaurant growth and inbound visitor expenditure support a premium on-trade route. Spanish wineries should enter with one channel, no more than two references and a 60-day account-level sell-through test.
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