Japanese cuisine gaining popularity in China

In China, the number of restaurants serving Japanese cuisine surged from 10,600 in 2013 to 40,800 in 2017, according to the Japanese External Trade Organization.

"Liaoning now has more than 1,000 Japanese restaurants, but there wasn't a unified organization to boost the development of the whole industry before," said Huang Jian, a local Japanese restaurant owner who was elected as chairman of the newly founded Japanese Cuisine Members' Conference under the Liaoning Hotel Restaurant association.

Liu Jingxian, a cordon bleu and chief advisor with the China Cuisine Association, said the increasing popularity of Japanese cuisine reflects the diversification and internationalization of Chinese consumers' palates.

With its unique craftsmanship, fine ingredients and cultural value, Japanese cuisine is a welcome addition to the Chinese catering market and will provide valuable lessons for Chinese restaurant operators and chefs, Liu added.