Japan Unveils Measures to Tackle Mass Oyster Deaths

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Fisheries Agency and others announced measures Thursday to address the mass deaths of farmed oysters in the western prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama and Hyogo, all facing the Seto Inland Sea. The measures include financially supporting affected oyster farmers and identifying the cause of the mass deaths. Efforts will be made to publicize a virtually interest-free loan system and mutual aid programs to compensate for losses. Employment support measures for technical trainees from abroad will also be taken. Government-affiliated Japan Finance Corp. will provide affected oyster farmers with loans of up to 6 million yen or up to half of their annual operating and other costs, virtually with no interest for the first five years if they obtain damage certification from the local municipal mayors. A mutual aid program for aquaculture will be used to compensate for losses in accordance with the volume of damaged oysters. More than 90 pct of Hiroshima oyster farmers are members of the program. Oyster farmers will also be advised to participate in a special mutual aid scheme, which is currently joined by 70 pct of farmers in Okayama and 90 pct in Kagawa Prefecture, also facing the inland sea. In Hyogo, all oyster farmers are members of the special program. Foreign technical trainees will be allowed to work in industries other than the fishery sector for a certain period as a special measure if it is difficult for them to continue working in their current jobs. About 1,500 trainees from abroad are engaged in oyster farming in the Seto Inland Sea region. “First of all, we need to help oyster farmers stay in business,” fisheries minister Norikazu Suzuki told an emergency press conference Thursday. “We want to support them together with local governments as (the sector) is economically large, including related industries.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]