The Fisheries Agency has newly designated 5 days from the 3rd to the 7th of every month as “Fish Days” in an effort to increase the consumption of marine products.

Companies are starting to strengthen sales of fish-based products.

"Fish Day" will start from this month, with the Fisheries Agency newly setting five days from the 3rd to the 7th of every month to encourage increased consumption through efforts to convey the deliciousness of domestic marine products.



More than 600 companies and organizations have expressed their support for the Fish Day initiative, and among them, FamilyMart, a major convenience store chain, is strengthening sales of private brand products using fish.



From the end of this month, we will increase the number of products we handle, such as grilled fish and boiled fish that can be warmed up in the microwave, and we have already started displaying "Fish Day" at stores.



Mr. Hiroshi Ishii of the delicatessen food department said, "I have the impression that cooking fish is time-consuming, so if we can improve this point, there is room for further growth in sales."



In addition, Kikkoman, a major food manufacturer, started a restaurant business in Tokyo this month that mainly serves fish dishes.



The restaurant offers six dishes, including grilled fish with in-house developed sauces, and the fish they serve are selected by an international organization involved in marine conservation.



Junichi Motegi, General Manager of the Business Development Department, said, "If it becomes known that eating fish is good for health and the environment, I think it will lead to increased consumption."

Consumption of marine products decreased by more than 40% in the last 20 years

The consumption of marine products such as fish in Japan continues to decline year by year.



According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, as of 2001, the amount of seafood consumed per person in Japan was 40.2 kg.



After peaking this year, the downward trend continued, falling to 23.4 kg in 2020, a decrease of more than 40% over the past 20 years.



According to a consumer awareness survey conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in 2019, the reasons why people do not buy seafood such as fish are that their families want meat, that seafood is expensive, and that cooking is troublesome. There are many responses, and it is considered that one of the major reasons is that consumers are changing their eating habits.



On the other hand, the Fisheries Agency aims to protect the domestic fisheries industry and create a society in which people can continue to eat marine products in the future. recommended to eat.