The launching event was held on August 26 at Matsuya’s Roppongi branch in Tokyo. Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu attended the event and introduced the dish to local media.

The broken rice and fish sauce of Viet Nam are served at Japan’s fast-food giant Matsuya.

Matsuya's representative Aya Aoki said the company discovered broken rice during surveys in Viet Nam and decided to recreate its flavor in Japan. A pilot programme in April 2025 drew positive feedback, leading to the nationwide rollout.

According to Vietnamese Trade Counsellor in Japan Ta Duc Minh, the dish will be served with traditional Vietnamese fish sauce, marking the first time the condiment has been used by a major restaurant chain in Japan. To support the launch, 10 tonnes of fish sauce were imported directly from Viet Nam.

Minh said the cooperation demonstrates the quality of Vietnamese products and will pave the way for more exports of rice, coffee, fruits and processed foods to Japan, while further strengthening bilateral trade ties.

According to official data, Viet Nam – Japan trade reached nearly 24.4 billion USD in the first half of 2025, up 9.9% year-on-year, with Viet Nam’s exports rising nearly 12% to 12.8 billion USD.

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