Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is actively looking to grow the country's seafood exports, targeting lucrative seafood markets like the United States to offset a gradual decline in seafood consumption at home.
Japan's per-capita seafood consumption dropped from more than 40 kilograms (88 pounds) in 2001 to 34 kilograms (75 pounds) in 2005 and is projected to slip further to 32 kilograms (70.5 pounds) by 2017, according to the ministry.
Japan's diet is changing. Consumers, especially young consumers, are eating more Western foods like red meat. They are also increasingly pressed for time, finding seafood "bothersome" to prepare, Hisashi Endo, director of the Fisheries Agency of Japan's fishery products trade office, told SeaFood Business.
Japan's goal is to reach ¥1 trillion ($10 billion) in food (including seafood) and forestry exports by 2013, says Junichi Takeuchi, director of the ministry's export promotion office. Last year, food and forestry totaled ¥433.7 billion, with fishery products representing 46.4 percent of the total.
In 2007, 16 percent of Japan's food and forestry exports ended up in the United States. The U.S. seafood market is attractive because Americans are increasingly health conscious and concerned about food safety, and Japan has an excellent food-safety record, says Takeuchi. There are 225 Japanese food facilities certified under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's HACCP (hazard analysis critical control points) program.
To increase awareness of Japan's seafood products, the ministry is encouraging seafood producers to exhibit at trade shows overseas next year, including the International Boston Seafood Show from March 15 to 17.
Among the companies looking to expand their seafood exports to the United States and exhibiting at IBSS are Dainichi Corp. (yellowtail and red sea bream), Marine Foods Corp. (seaweed, squid and cuttlefish), Hyoshoku Co. Ltd. (yellowtail), Kinjirushi Sales Co. Ltd. (wasabi), Kibun Foods (surimi seafood made with Alaska pollock), Kanedai Co. Ltd. (saury, sashimi shrimp), Morimatsu Suisan Reito Co. Ltd. (yellowtail, amberjack), Nomura Trading Co. Ltd. (chum salmon), Abecho Shoten Co. Ltd. (saury, bonito, boiled mackerel with miso paste) and Central Trading Co. Ltd. (crabmeat, dried and seasoned fish and seaweed).
