Tokyo Meat Market Co., Ltd.

Tokyo Meat Market Co., Ltd. (東京食肉市場株式会社) is a Japanese meat wholesaler founded in September 1966 and licensed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries as a wholesaler of the Meat Market of the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market. Headquartered at 2-7-19 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo, the company began operations on December 19, 1966, when the Shibaura/Shinagawa meat market opened and its auctions commenced. Its core mission is to ensure a stable supply of safe, high-quality meat to Tokyo, one of the world's largest consumption areas, and to achieve fair price formation through auction trading. The company's main lines of business are the collection of livestock from across Japan, commission selling of carcasses and meat to buyers through public auctions, next-business-day settlement of auction payments, and prompt publication of aggregated wholesale price data. Because the trading prices at the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market meat market serve as an important indicator for meat prices nationwide, the company's auctions influence pricing in stores and supermarkets throughout Japan. All meat handled must pass strict hygiene inspections conducted by the Shibaura Meat Sanitary Inspection Station of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Over its history the company has repeatedly modernized its trading infrastructure, moving from warm carcass to chilled carcass auctions, introducing electronic computers for settlement documents, wireless automatic auction machines, computer-based arrival-sales-settlement systems, and robots for the auction floor. It relocated to the Meat Market Center Building in 2002, introduced HACCP in 2017, and in 2024 completed modifications to its Large Animal C Line to support exports to Taiwan and Singapore. The market it operates is a crossroads of Japan's meat culture, gathering more than 300 beef and pork brands. The company celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2016 and its 60th anniversary in 2026, and it also engages in related businesses such as real estate leasing.

Tokyo Meat Market Co., Ltd. was established in September 1966 and licensed by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in November 1966 as a wholesaler of the Meat Market of the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market. The market opened and auctions began in December 1966, with the company commencing operations on December 19, 1966. From the outset, its mission has been to ensure a stable supply of meat to Tokyo, a giant consumption area, and to realize fair price formation through auction trading. In the decades that followed, the company steadily modernized its trading and settlement infrastructure. In April 1971 it introduced a new electronic computer with a settlement document issuance function. In May 1973 large animal trading shifted from warm carcasses to chilled carcass auctions, and in October 1973 the first National Beef Carcass Competitive Exhibition was held. In October 1981 a partial meat sales floor began operating as a branch of the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market meat market. In June 1983 a wireless automatic auction machine for large animals was introduced, followed in April 1985 by computer-based arrival-sales-settlement processing for large animal auctions. In September 1989 a wireless automatic auction machine for small animals was introduced along with computer-based processing for small animal auctions. In the 1990s the company continued to invest in facilities and systems: an imported beef cold storage was completed in March 1992; a designated slaughterhouse collection program began in September 1992; a large animal carcass suspension vehicle was introduced in September 1993; an in-vitro fertilized egg pedigree system began operating in March 1994; and in October 1998 a large animal delivered carcass refrigeration facility was completed and an imported partial meat system began operating. In March 2001 a large animal auction floor push-out robot was completed, and in October 2001 whole-head BSE testing began. In March 2002 the company relocated to the Meat Market Center Building, and small animal trading shifted from warm carcasses to chilled carcass auctions. In April 2005 the Large Animal C Line began operating. In February 2009 the company entered the real estate business. In December 2011 whole-head radioactive substance testing for beef began. In April 2016 a Quality Control Office was established, and in September 2016 the company celebrated its 50th anniversary; in October 2016 the National Beef Carcass Competitive Exhibition began being held with an entry capacity of 500 head. In April 2017 HACCP was introduced. In April 2020 a headquarters system was introduced and the sales department organizations were renamed, with the Large Animal Division becoming the Beef Sales Department and the Small Animal Division becoming the Pork Sales Department. In October 2023 live test streaming of auction display boards began at major beef carcass competitive exhibitions. In January 2024 modification work on the Large Animal C Line to support exports to Taiwan and Singapore was completed. In 2026 the company marked its 60th anniversary and renewed its official website.

• 2016

  Quality Control Office established

• 2016

  Celebrated 50th anniversary

• 2016

  National Beef Carcass Competitive Exhibition began with 500-head entry capacity

• 2011

  Whole-head radioactive substance testing for beef began

• 2009

  Entered the real estate business

• 2005

  Large Animal C Line began operating

• 2002

  Relocated to the Meat Market Center Building; small animal trading shifted to chilled carcass auctions

• 2001

  Large animal auction floor push-out robot completed

• 2001

  Whole-head BSE testing began

• 1998

  Large animal delivered carcass refrigeration facility completed; imported partial meat system began operating

• 1994

  In-vitro fertilized egg pedigree system began operating

• 1993

  Introduced large animal carcass suspension vehicle

• 1992

  Imported beef cold storage completed

• 1992

  Designated slaughterhouse collection program began

• 1989

  Introduced wireless automatic auction machine for small animals and computer-based processing

• 1985

  Computer-based arrival-sales-settlement system for large animal auctions

• 1983

  Introduced wireless automatic auction machine for large animals

• 1981

  Partial meat sales floor began operating as a branch of the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market meat market

• 1973

  Large animal trading shifted from warm carcasses to chilled carcass auctions

• 1973

  First National Beef Carcass Competitive Exhibition held

• 1971

  Introduced a new electronic computer with settlement document issuance function

• 1966

  Tokyo Meat Market Co., Ltd. established

• 1966

  Licensed by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries as a wholesaler of the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market meat market

• 1966

  Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market meat market opened and auctions began

The licensed wholesaler of the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market's meat market, providing stable, safe meat supply and fair auction-based price formation that serves as a national reference for meat prices.

• Beef carcass auction trading

• Pork carcass auction trading

• Livestock collection

• Commission selling

• Auction payment settlement

• Wholesale price data publication

• Real estate leasing

1. 1東京食肉市場株式会社 公式サイトssl.tmmc.co.jp
2. 2当社の歩み ｜ 東京食肉市場株式会社ssl.tmmc.co.jp
3. 3Corporate information ｜ TOKYO MEAT MARKET Co.,Ltdssl.tmmc.co.jp
4. 4事業案内・自社事業紹介 ｜ 東京食肉市場株式会社ssl.tmmc.co.jp
5. 5Tokyo Meat Market - Wikidatawikidata.org