U.S. spirits exports to Japan and Taiwan neared $80 million as distillers chased growth in East Asia

The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States is turning more attention to East Asia after U.S. spirits exports to Japan and Taiwan approached $80 million last year, even as shipments to some larger markets came under pressure.

From June 1 through June 5, the trade group led a mission to Tokyo and Taiwan as part of its Discover US Spirits campaign, highlighting products from 18 American distilleries. Discus said the two markets together imported $77.1 million worth of U.S. spirits in 2025, with Japan accounting for more than $73 million and Taiwan for $4.1 million.

The push comes at a time when exporters are looking for new growth outlets. According to Discus, Japan is the seventh-largest foreign market for U.S. spirits and the fourth-largest for American whiskey. But the picture there is mixed. Total U.S. spirits exports to Japan remained sizable last year, while American whiskey exports to the country fell 28% to $57 million.

Taiwan, by contrast, posted growth from a smaller base. Discus said U.S. spirits exports there rose from $2 million to $4.1 million in 2025, while American whiskey exports increased from $1.5 million to $2.2 million.

Joel Matticks, Discus’ export promotions manager, described both Japan and Taiwan as promising markets for expansion. During the trip, the group organized trade events and media tastings attended by more than 200 buyers, importers, journalists and on-premise professionals from the two markets. In Tokyo, it also held a tasting for spirits and government professionals at The Okura Tokyo hotel.

The mission featured producers including Westland, Middle West Spirits, Garrison Brothers, Uncle Nearest, Virginia Distillery Co. and New Riff Distilling. Discus said the effort was designed to build demand for premium American spirits abroad through education and trade outreach.

The campaign has federal backing. In April, the U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded Discus $900,000 through its Market Access Program to promote American spirits in international markets in 2026 and 2027.

The East Asia push reflects broader changes in the export landscape for U.S. distillers. Discus said total U.S. spirits exports reached $2.37 billion in 2025. The five largest markets were the European Union at $1.2 billion, followed by the United Kingdom at $153 million, Australia at $138 million, Mexico at $127 million and Canada at $89 million. Together, those five destinations accounted for 72% of all exports.

At the same time, Canada has become a weaker outlet since several provinces removed American spirits from shelves in March 2025 amid trade tensions with the United States. Discus said exports to Canada have fallen by more than 70% since that move began, with only Alberta and Saskatchewan lifting the ban.

That shift matters across the beverage business because export data can shape decisions on where distillers invest marketing money, how importers and distributors plan inventories and which overseas markets look less exposed to trade disputes or weaker demand. For producers facing slower sales at home and volatility in established foreign destinations, even modest gains in places like Taiwan can take on greater importance.

Domestic conditions have added to that urgency. Discus said U.S. spirits sales declined 2.2% by value last year, while American whiskey sales slipped 0.9%. Volumes moved in the opposite direction, rising 1.9% to 318.1 million nine-liter cases in 2025.

Against that backdrop, East Asia offers a combination of scale and room for growth, though recent figures suggest demand is not moving evenly across categories or countries. For U.S. distillers trying to offset weakness elsewhere, Japan remains a major market despite the drop in whiskey shipments, while Taiwan is emerging as a smaller but faster-growing destination.