HONG KONG--Raw eggs from Japan are soaring in popularity here thanks to their affordability linked to the nation’s steady commodity prices and the weak yen.

“The biggest reason (for the popularity) is that Japan’s egg prices have not significantly risen over the course of more than two decades,” said Dennis Wu, managing director of Aji-No-Chinmi Co. (HK) Ltd., a trading house that imported around 2,500 tons, or about 45 million eggs, from Japan last year.

Egg exports to Hong Kong account for more than 90 percent of Japan’s total egg exports, increasing their presence among food items from the nation.

TKG CRAZE

Thanks to the eggs being more affordable, consumers here have started trying “tamago kake gohan” (TKG), a bowl of rice topped with an uncooked egg and soy sauce.

One customer at the Mai Hei set-meal restaurant in Hong Kong poked through an orange egg over rice using chopsticks, causing the yolk to spread among the grains during lunchtime in mid-January.

“I tasted natto (fermented soybeans), as well as a bowl of rice featuring an egg, for breakfast at a ryokan on my trip to Japan a few years ago,” said a 37-year-old woman who works for a power utility, who also likes raw eggs.

Japanese eggs are said to have attracted an avid following at the eatery run by a Hong Konger and elsewhere in Hong Kong, though local consumers previously did not usually eat raw eggs.

Men and women in their 20s to 30s filled the 60 seats available, with about 10 people waiting outdoors for a table to open up.

The lunch combo consisting of rice, a soup and two side dishes carries a price of 68 to 80 Hong Kong dollars ($8.60 to $10, or 1,130 yen to 1,330 yen). Paying an additional HK$8 will allow diners to add an uncooked egg or “mentaiko” hot pollock roe to their rice.

Of the 20 people at surrounding tables, nine were enjoying egg-topped rice, while seven had mentaiko-adorned ones and four had bowls with no toppings.

The restaurant uses a brand-name egg from Japan’s Oita Prefecture called “Rano.” Their rice also comes from Japan, and 100 bowls of TKG are offered daily.

Like Mai Hei, a growing number of eateries in Hong Kong are putting Japanese eggs on their menus. One has gone further and even labeled its egg-topped meal “TKG.”

AFFORDABILITY, FRESHNESS

Buoyed by heavy demand, 28,250 tons of eggs from Japan were sold to Hong Kong in 2022, recording a sharp 3.3-fold rise over the past three years. About 92.4 percent of Japan’s total egg exports went to Hong Kong.

Aji-No-Chinmi has been handling eggs from Japan for 30 years.

Formerly, they were placed on the shelves of luxury supermarkets for sukiyaki on a limited basis, and Hong Kongers primarily consumed eggs from China, the United States and Thailand.

But commodity prices have risen 1.6 to 1.8 times in China and the United States over the last 25 years. Conversely, products and services in Japan remain as cheap as before because of its sluggish economy and prolonged deflation.

Feed costs have swollen in Japan like other parts of the world, but their rise can be offset by the weakened yen via exports to Hong Kong. Thus, no dramatic price increases were logged for Japanese eggs.

“More consumers have come to choose Japanese-produced eggs now that their prices are almost as reasonable as those from other countries,” said Wu.

Exports from Japan were worth 2 percent of their U.S. counterparts in 2012. The trend was reversed in 2022, making Japan the second-largest exporter to Hong Kong just behind China.

About 10 brands of Japanese eggs were recently available at a supermarket. A 10-egg carton carried a price tag of HK$25 to HK$35--cheaper than those from 20 years earlier and comparable to egg prices from Singapore.

The reputation of Japanese eggs is creating another windfall for its popularity. Japan’s eggs are considered to be fresher than those shipped for 40 days by sea from the United States and be treated under good hygienic conditions.

Aji-No-Chinmi sends eggs from Japan in refrigerated containers. They are kept at 5 to 8 degrees, and the “eggs arrive in a warehouse in Hong Kong 10 to 12 days after they are laid in Japan.”

This means the eggs can be enjoyed uncooked within 10 days from their arrival in Hong Kong, even under Japan’s strict standards.

Eggs are deemed safe to be eaten raw in Japan up to 21 days after their laying if they are stored at 25 degrees or lower, according to the Japan Poultry Association.

A study has reportedly confirmed eggs kept at 10 degrees can safely be consumed raw for 57 days.

Aji-No-Chinmi does not state that its products are “for raw consumption” on the labeling of imported Japanese eggs. They are handled at low temperatures to ensure safety for uncooked use, but heating is still recommended.

Despite the company’s cautious sales tactics, consumers in Hong Kong still love to try TKG, along with “onsen tamago,” or eggs boiled at relatively low temperatures, and half-cooked eggs on ramen.

FUKUSHIMA FEARS

Other Japanese food products, such as scallops, bluefin tuna, “wagyu” beef, strawberries, muscat and vegetables, have been enjoying stable sales in Hong Kong. Local supermarkets are packed with sweets from the nation, too.

Hong Kong was counted as the largest importer among countries and regions from around the world of Japan’s agricultural and marine products for 16 consecutive years until 2020.

Statistics released on Feb. 3 by Japan’s agriculture ministry show Hong Kong came in second with imports totaling 208.6 billion yen in 2022 after China, which chalked up 278.3 billion yen despite the great difference in their populations.

A remaining source of anxiety for Tokyo involves the government’s plan to dilute and discharge treated radioactive water from Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant into the ocean this spring or summer in line with safety standards.

Tse Chin-wan, the Hong Kong government’s secretary for the environment and ecology, expressed grave concern about the project in October last year, stressing that Hong Kong has been prepared for emergency measures and working on proper steps to ensure the safety of imported foods.

Hong Kong asserted that it will work closely with the Chinese government, which maintains a firm stance against the envisioned water release.

A Japanese government insider pointed to a likelihood of regulations being imposed on imports of seafood and other food products from Japan.

“The food industry is overwhelmingly worried about that possibility,” said the source. “Many people believe some sort of negative effect will emerge and linger for the time being.”