Seafood is a sweet spot in Japanese exports this year that is pushing sales of food abroad to a record and gaining strength as the yen weakens.

Food shipments increased every month this year through September as the yen fell 4 percent, putting them on course to exceed the all-time high of ¥436 billion in 2013.

That contrasts with total exports from Japan, which haven't recovered to their 2008 peak, even as data Wednesday showed increases for motor vehicles, ships and steel.