TOKYO, December 25. /Dunyo IA/. On the eve of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s official December visit to Japan, pomegranates grown in Uzbekistan have made their debut on the Japanese market, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

Uzbek pomegranates are now available to Japanese consumers through “COSTCO”, one of the world’s largest retail chains, operating over 800 warehouse stores globally.

Under the current export program, “Quva-Agro Star” LLC plans to deliver 50 tons of pomegranates to Japan by the end of 2025.

At the same time, an agreement has been reached to cooperate with “AEON”, one of Japan’s largest supermarket chains. This partnership is expected to expand the distribution network for Uzbek pomegranates, with export volumes projected to reach 100 tons by February 2026.

By the end of 2026, Uzbekistan aims to increase pomegranate exports to Japan to 700 tons, with “Washing Trading” serving as the importing partner from the Japanese side.

The project is considered a strategically important initiative to enhance the competitiveness of Uzbekistan’s agricultural products on international markets, promote the national brand, and expand the country’s export potential.

In addition, starting from November 2025, Uzbek grapes were introduced for the first time in “AEON” stores, further strengthening the presence of Uzbek fruits in the Japanese market.