FAS/Tokyo projects Japan’s beef production in 2024 will be almost flat from 2023 because fewer cows will be culled now that milk production has dropped enough to match demand. Lower conception rate among heifers and cows affected by heat in summer 2023 will yield lower birthrate of calves in 2024. Cattle inventory in 2024 will dip marginally. Inflation will still dampen beef consumption, but Japan’s pork production will be steady and imports up slightly to meet stable demand in both its retail and food service sectors.