The number of Japanese restaurants outside Japan increased more than threefold over the past decade to around 187,000 in 2023 as the country's chains expanded worldwide, a recent survey by the farm ministry showed.
The number increased around 20% from the previous survey in 2021, with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries attributing some of the growth to increased interest from anime fans in Central and South America.
By region, Asia and Europe both saw gains of around 20% from 2021 to 122,000 and 16,400, respectively, driving expectations for growth in Japan's agriculture and seafood exports as its food culture continues to spread.