On May 27, the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) held a reception at the residence of the U.S. Ambassador to Japan in Minato Ward, Tokyo, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the opening of its Japan office. Approximately 200 industry stakeholders attended, including U.S. government officials, U.S. soybean producers, and representatives of Japan’s edible-oil and soy-food industries. They celebrated the achievements of the long-standing U.S.-Japan soybean trade and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation going forward.
At the opening, Ryan Bedford, Director of the U.S. Embassy’s Agricultural Trade Office, expressed his appreciation for the participation of representatives from Japan’s soy-food industry and agricultural sector. This was followed by remarks from U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass, who praised U.S.-Japan soybean trade, stating: “U.S. exports of soybeans and soybean meal to Japan exceeded $1.2 billion in 2025. This represents a remarkable partnership built on safety, reliability, and the assured quality of the products.”
In a guest address, Takahisa Hisano, Chairman of the Japan Vegetable Oils Association and President of The Nisshin OilliO Group, noted that imports of U.S. soybeans reached approximately 2.28 million tonnes in 2025, saying that they “can be described as supporting the dietary lives of Japanese people.” He added that, against the backdrop of growing global demand for vegetable oils and biofuels, “building a sustainable food-supply system has become an important issue.”
USSEC Chairman Mike McRaney emphasized: “For 70 years, Japan has remained one of our association’s most trusted and important partners.” As health consciousness and interest in sustainability grow, he stated: “We would like to further deepen our long-term relationship of trust through responsible farmland management and ongoing improvement.”
At the reception, Scott Metzger of the American Soybean Association proposed a toast, expressing hopes for the development of the soybean industries in both Japan and the United States and for the further deepening of cooperation between the two countries.
