TOKYO REPORT: Major Conveyor-Belt Sushi Chains to Help Revitalize Fisheries

Tokyo, March 16 (Jiji Press)–Major conveyor-belt sushi chains in Japan are stepping up efforts to secure sustainable marine resources amid the harsh situation facing the fishing industry, including continued declines in catch volume and a growing shortage of fishing operators. They aim to ensure coexistence and mutual prosperity for people and the sea through a variety of initiatives, ranging from research on full-cycle aquaculture, which produces the next generation with eggs and sperm from adult fish raised from artificially hatched fry, to support for people employed in the fishing industry. “Artificial Seedlings” In 2024, Japan’s marine fishery catch stood at 2.78 million tons, about a quarter of the peak level of 11.5 million tons in 1984. Seeking to reverse the negative trend, Food & Life Companies Ltd., which operates the Sushiro chain, began in June last year to sell “artificial seedlings” of yellowtail developed in-house to aquaculture businesses. Artificial seedlings are juvenile fish that are hatched from artificially retrieved eggs. Food & Life launched the development of artificial seedlings for yellowtail in 2022 by establishing a company in collaboration with an aquaculture producer in the city of Kumamoto, southwestern Japan. The project was inspired by a very poor catch of the yellowtail fry called “mojako” the previous year. With the haul slumping to only about 60 pct of the usual amount, yellowtail farming, which at the time depended almost entirely on natural seedlings, was hit hard. Drawing lessons from this experience, Food & Life established the joint venture, “aiming to conserve natural resources and stabilize our business,” said Kaito Ozawa of Food & Life, who is involved in the project. The partners conducted repeated tests, making use of government-owned technology, and finally managed to start shipments of artificially produced seedlings. The juvenile fish have grown steadily, surviving even high water temperatures in summer. The next aim is to use these seedlings to establish full-cycle aquaculture. Alongside yellowtail, research on artificial seedlings of Japanese eel is also attracting attention. Zensho Holdings Co., the operator of the Hamazushi chain, is focusing on passing on Japan’s culinary culture of eating eel. The company is “providing support and cooperation to research institutions working on complete aquaculture for eel and related technologies,” an official said. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has set a goal for 2050 that 100 pct of the seedlings used in aquaculture for four key species–yellowtail, Japanese eel, bluefin tuna and greater amberjack–will be artificially produced. Utilizing Underused Fish Like catch volumes, the number of people employed in the fishing industry is also on a downward trend. In 2024, the figure stood at 115,000, less than half of what it was about 20 years ago. Factors responsible for the falling ranks include the declining birthrate and aging population, diversifying values regarding work and concerns about income. Under the slogan of “revitalizing the fishing industry,” conveyor-belt sushi chain Kura Sushi Inc. is promoting a project that aims to make effective use of marine resources and at the same time stabilize the incomes of people working in the fishing industry. A particular focus is on “issengai,” or buying the entire catch of a boat. Under this initiative, the company purchases all fish caught in fixed nets under an annual contract, helping the income stability of fishing boat operators. Fixed nets also catch underused fish that are difficult to cook or process and therefore are rarely put on the market, but Kura Sushi uses all of them, with ingenuity. For example, sawtail was long considered difficult to eat because of the distinctive odor derived from the seaweed that forms its staple diet. By feeding the fish cabbage instead of seaweed after it is caught, however, the company successfully reduced the odor and brought out the inherently refined flavor. The fish was used for standard menu items in its restaurant at the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka, western Japan. Company officials said the dishes were well received. At the Fisheries Agency, Chikage Yoshikawa promotes the consumption of marine products by utilizing “Fish Day,” observed early every month, as an opportunity to share related information. While noting that “due to the effects of climate change, the season, areas and volume of fish catches are shifting,” Yoshikawa also emphasized the need to work with the private sector to make consumers more aware of the current situation. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]