GROWING AT TWICE THE
AVERAGE (+18.4%) BUT UNITED PROMOTION IS VITAL.
ALLIANCES BETWEEN INSTITUTIONS & VINITALY IN THE FOREGROUND AT THE
STOP-OFF IN TOKYO BY THE VERONAFIERE GLOBAL ROADSHOW DURING THE RUNUP TO THE 55TH SHOW IN VERONA 2-5 APRIL
Accelerate integrated and systemic efforts to ensure that promotion of
Italian wine in Japan is more efficient by avoiding fragmentation and dispersion of resources. This is
the unity of purpose that emerged today in Tokyo during the penultimate stage of the global
roadshow organized by Veronafiere-Vinitaly in collaboration with ICE-Italian Trade Agency with the
broad involvement of Italy’s main institutional players in Japan: the Italian Embassy in Tokyo and
the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Japan, not to mention the support of the Italy-Japan
Foundation, the cultural and relational centre founded in 1999 by the Italian Foreign Ministry.
“We are laying the foundations for a medium/long-term project to promote Italian wine in Japan
wherein Vinitaly will also confirm its role as the collective brand on a global scale,” said the
President of Veronafiere, Federico Bricolo, speaking to an audience of more than 50 top buyers,
wine stakeholders and institutional representatives. This truly special campaign, with the
determined support of the new governance at Veronafiere S.p.A., not only seeks to boost incoming
attendance already as of the coming 55th Vinitaly, (2-5 April) but also create an effective, across the
board programme for promoting Italian wine.”
Gianluigi Benedetti, Italian Ambassador in Japan, highlighted the central role of Veronafiere’s
flagship event in the valorising and promoting Italian wine, saying: “It is now essential to create
synergies in a country-system spirit. The presence at this Vinitaly roadshow of the Embassy, the ICE
Italian Trade Agency and the Chamber of Commerce together with the Italian trade fair system as
represented by Veronafiere, is a clear sign of our determination to do well and work together in
support of Italy’s productive fabric.”
Constant supervision and system alliances were also the keywords for the ICE-Italian Trade Agency

  • Vinitaly’s organizational partner behind the extraordinary Roadshow set in motion over the last
    two months by Veronafiere in 9 countries across three continents – America, Europe and Asia.
    Erica Di Giovancarlo, Director of the ICE Agency headquarters in Tokyo, said: “We have always
    stood at the side of Veronafiere and, in particular, Vinitaly. Japanese operators love Italian wine,
    love Italy and love Verona. I believe that all ICE Agency initiatives in the wine sector can well be
    implemented in collaboration with Vinitaly. This would help to enhance Italy’s status because it is
    only by thinking as a system that we can overcome the competition.”
    As regards data announced during the presentation of the coming Vinitaly – which is already fully
    booked – the year closed on a very positive note for Italian wine in Japan, with growth in volume of
    +18.4% in 2022, exactly double compared to growth in Japan’s total wine imports (+9.2%).
    The Uiv-Vinitaly Observatory indicates that Italy’s performance in the 6th wine importing market in
    the world (in 2021 Tokyo overtook Beijing in the world ranking) is particularly positive for imports
    of still bottled wines – especially reds – which closed at 165 million euros (+25%) as well as sparkling
    wines (+26% worth 44 million euros). Total imports of Italian wine in 2022 by Japan consequently
    closed 2022 with a total value of 278 million euros, taking 2
    nd place among supplier countries behind
    France, that alone crossed the threshold of 1 billion euros of orders from Japan.
    “Italy is the second exporter of wines in the world but this leadership is not confirmed in Asia, where
    other countries are able to sell larger quantities, despite offering a variety and a quality-price ratio
    generally lower than for Italian wines,” said the President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in
    Japan, Rosario Pedicini. Italian producers are often too small to work on complex markets such as
    those in Asia on their own. Consequently, System-Italy, where the Italian Chamber of Commerce in
    Japan plays an active role, works alongside producers to help improve their positioning in Japan.”
    The Vinitaly Roadshow will close the day after tomorrow, 23 February, in South Korea.