“Japan wants to export more raw materials and ingredients, particularly of high quality, for premium restaurants in Thailand. Meanwhile, demand for quality is expected to increase in the provinces,” Hiroki Mitsumata, president of Jetro Bangkok, said yesterday.

Jetro Bangkok conducted a survey on Japanese restaurants in Thailand. The data showed that the number of Japanese restaurants had increased by 3.6 per cent to 2,713 so far this year.

That was slower than the annual rate of 10-20 per cent seen in the past several years.

Last year, 297 outlets opened their doors while 193 closed because of high competition and internal financial problems and the economic slowdown in China.

Bangkok is now home to 1,753 Japanese restaurants, which represents minimal growth, but more are expected to open upcountry.

The survey showed that Japanese cuisine was the favourite foreign food in Thailand.

The Japanese government continues to increase food exports to overseas markets including Thailand as part of its economic recovery plans.

Japan will also expand sales channels for Japanese foods such as beef, grapes and wine at retail outlets such as Big C and Tesco Lotus, Jetro says.

Last year, Thailand imported more than Bt12 billion worth of Japanese food, but that is expected to multiply to more than Bt330 billion by 2020.

Yasumasa Asai, Thailand manager for Jetro’s Japanese Restaurants Abroad, said there were more than 120,000 foreign restaurants in Thailand.

Jetro Bangkok will soon certify Japanese restaurants and Japanese chefs to improve |their overall standards in Thailand.