中美摩擦让日本买中国蔬菜变便宜

Core Viewpoint - The decline in prices of Chinese vegetables in Japan is primarily due to reduced exports to the U.S. caused by trade tensions, leading to surplus inventory in China, which benefits Japanese restaurants facing rising costs [1][5][7]. Group 1: Price Trends - In late July, wholesale prices of Chinese vegetables in Tokyo's central wholesale market showed a year-on-year decline: onions down 8%, garlic down 9%, and scallions down 17% [1][5]. - The import price of garlic in Japan decreased by 18% and onions by 14% year-on-year as of June, with wholesale prices dropping by 10-20% [1][5]. - The purchasing price of Chinese onions in Japan fell from 1000 yen (approximately 48.43 yuan) per 10 kg to 750-800 yen, representing a decrease of about 20% [5]. Group 2: Impact on Japanese Restaurants - Japanese restaurants are benefiting from lower prices of Chinese vegetables, allowing them to maintain or reduce menu prices despite rising operational costs [1][3]. - A beef bowl restaurant in Shinjuku is using cheaper Chinese onions, enabling it to offer prices 10-20% lower than nearby competitors [3]. - A Chinese restaurant in Tokyo switched from using domestic garlic and scallions to Chinese products to avoid price increases, indicating a trend among restaurants to rely on cheaper imports [1][3]. Group 3: Supply Chain Dynamics - The decline in Chinese vegetable prices began around April, with a significant drop of 20-30% in purchasing prices noted by mid-April [3][5]. - The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported a 40% year-on-year decrease in the import value of Chinese vegetables, dropping to $14 million in May [5]. - The ongoing heavy rainfall in China may halt the increase in vegetable inventory, but Japanese restaurants are likely to continue relying on affordable Chinese produce [7].