The four-day Foodex Japan 2025 kicked off in Tokyo on Tuesday. Invited by the Japan-China Catering Industry Exchange Promotion Association, Ningxia Helan Mountain's East Foothill Wine Industry Investment and Development Group brought four wineries from the region to participate in the exhibition, as part of its effort to promote Chinese wine globally.

The Japan-China Catering Industry Exchange Promotion Association primarily supports Chinese catering businesses in Japan, companies looking to introduce Chinese cuisine to the Japanese market, and the broader food and beverage supply chain. Yang Yanjun, executive president of the association, said Japan's wine market has tremendous consumer potential, with local customers showing a high level of acceptance toward wine.

In his view, for Chinese wine enterprises, the Japanese market represents a vast blue ocean of opportunities. While Chinese wine brands currently have low recognition in Japan, they possess significant growth potential.

"Both food and drink need to be presented in the best way at the dining table. The entry of Ningxia Helan Mountain's East Foothill wine into the Japanese market creates a perfect combination with Chinese cuisine in Japan — food and drink complement each other in the best possible way," Yang said.

According to Miao Lili, general manager of Yiyun International Trade (Beijing) Co, wines from the Helan Mountain's East Foothill in China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region have won numerous international awards in recent years and have successfully entered global markets, including Europe and the United States. However, their market share in Japan remains limited, prompting efforts to expand their reach in the Japanese market.

"There are many Chinese people and Chinese restaurants in Japan. We sincerely hope to introduce our wines to more friends in Japan through the restaurant industry. Not only they pair well with Chinese cuisine, but they also complement Japanese cuisine," Miao said.

Industry professional Setsuko Mukai, who attended the exhibition, sampled several wines from the Helan Mountain's East Foothill region and found them to have an excellent flavor.

"These wines with a long length have unique varieties and complex flavors, showcasing high quality. I have long wanted to visit this wine region," she said.

Foodex Japan is the largest, most prestigious, and most commercially active food and beverage trade show in the Asia-Pacific. This year, the exhibition spans over 33,000 square meters, featuring more than 2,900 exhibitors from 74 countries and regions, and attracting over 17,000 visitors on the first day.

For both exhibitors and visitors, this exhibition serves as an important platform for seeking trade partners, expanding into the Japanese market, promoting products, and engaging in technical exchanges and trade cooperation.

This year, Ningxia Helan Mountain's East Foothill Wine Industry Investment and Development Group has brought four wineries and their key products to Tokyo for the exhibition.

Their goal is to further expand the influence of Ningxia wine brands in Japan, engage in in-depth face-to-face discussions with local customers, and establish strong cooperative relationships with Japanese buyers.

The Helan Mountain's East Foothill in Ningxia is located between 37.43 and 39.23 degrees north latitude, at an altitude of 1,100 to 1,200 meters. With the Helan Mountains to the west blocking cold air currents and the Yellow River to the east creating a unique microclimate, the region is widely recognized as one of the world's prime areas for growing wine grapes and producing premium wines.

In 2003, it was designated as a National Geographic Indication Product Protection Zone, and in 2013, it was included in The World Atlas of Wine.

The region's soil is rich in minerals, with an annual precipitation of only about 200 millimeters and more than 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. The significant temperature difference between day and night creates ideal conditions for cultivating high-quality wine grapes, while the availability of irrigation from the Yellow River provides additional advantages.

Wines from this region are known for their full-bodied structure, rich aromas, well-balanced sugar and acidity, and smooth finish, embodying a distinctive Chinese style that rivals global wine standards, experts said.

As of 2024, the Helan Mountain's East Foothill has a total of 606,000 mu (40,400 hectares) of vineyard plantations, accounting for nearly 40 percent of China's total vineyard area.

The region is home to 261 wineries and vineyard enterprises, including 130 fully operational wineries, producing 140 million bottles of wine annually, which are exported to more than 40 countries and regions.

Local wineries attract over 3 million visitors each year, generating a total economic benefit of 45 billion yuan ($6.23 billion).

In 2021, the Ningxia autonomous region was approved to establish China's first national comprehensive pilot zone for the open development of the grape and wine industry. In 2022, Helan Mountain's East Foothill Wine was included in the China-EU agreement on the cooperation and protection of geographical indications.

In 2024, the International Grape and Wine Ningxia Exchange and Cooperation Center was established in the autonomous region; the wine region of Helan Mountain's East Foothill joined the Global Wine Tourism Organization; and Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia, became a member of the International Network of Vine and Wine Cities.

Ningxia Helan Mountain's East Foothill Wine Industry Investment and Development Group is a comprehensive wine industry entity established with the approval of the Ningxia autonomous regional government. Its core business includes investment attraction, trade exhibitions, grape cultivation, vineyard development, education and training, financial services, technology research and development, and wine production.

As a wholly State-owned enterprise under the Administrative Committee of the Ningxia Helan Mountain's East Foothill Wine Industry Park, the group aims to play a leading role in strengthening the region's market competitiveness, industrial influence, and brand recognition, contributing to the global expansion of Chinese wine.