Letter urges focus on Japanese fresh market access during visit

Ahead of Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae’s March 19 visit to the United States, a bipartisan letter signed by 68 members of Congress urges the prioritization of fully opening Japan’s market to U.S. fresh potatoes.

The letter (.pdf), sent March 11 to President Donald Trump, calls out the estimated $150 million fresh potato access would infuse into annual U.S. exports. Allowing full fresh access would establish Japan as the largest export market for U.S. fresh potatoes outside of North America.

Negotiations have dragged on for decades, with U.S. potato industry advocates accusing Japan of stonewalling talks through its handling of the pest risk assessment framework USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) uses to determine if potential imported plant commodity pests should be regulated and what phytosanitary measures should be taken. While U.S. government officials have maintained for years that there is no reasonable phytosanitary threat to importing fresh potatoes, Japan contains to insist on individual pest risk assessments, a process “that will allow you to delay things almost indefinitely,” National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles has said.

In early October, Quarles joined a delegation of potato industry leaders and USDA officials in Tokyo to press for fresh market access to Japan, where the U.S. has imported chipping stock since 2026. But fresh market access was not addressed in a trade deal between the two countries signed last October.

Takaichi’s four-day visit will be her first to Washington since taking office last year.

“U.S. potato growers produce the best potatoes in the world,” the March 11 letter read in part. “Japan represents a massive market with significant export opportunities for American potato growers. Securing this long-delayed market access petition and unlocking the critical Japanese export market would make a meaningful difference for potato growers in our states and across the country.”

According to a 2024 study released by NPC, approximately 20% of U.S.-grown potatoes are exported, contributing $4.8 billion to the American economy and supporting 34,000 domestic jobs.

The NPC board of directors recently passed a resolution during its 2026 Washington Summit, urging the Trump administration to address Japanese fresh access. The resolution stated: “The National Potato Council encourages the Trump administration to move forward aggressively in securing Japanese market access for U.S. fresh table stock potatoes in 2026, including President Trump speaking directly about the issue with his Japanese counterpart, Prime Minister Takaichi, during any upcoming meetings and showcasing high-quality U.S. fresh potatoes on the menu for any formal meals between the two leaders.”