Tuna Market in Japan, Current

Status, Challenges and Prospects

14th INFOFISH world tuna trade conference

and exhibition, 23-25 May, 2016
Taro Kawamoto
Director, Kyokuyo Suisan Co., Ltd. (Japan)
 My presentation cover

Introduction: overview of global tuna market

1. Overview of Japanese tuna market
2. Capture production by JP fleets
3. Three main tuna markets
4. New challenges
5. Prospects for the tuna market in Japan

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 Introduction
Global tuna production & estimated consumption

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 Global production of principle market tunas
t d ecade
n th e las
n cr eas ei
50% i

Source: FAO FishStatJ, a tool for fishery statistics analysis Release:

2.12.2, Capture production and aquaculture production 4
 Sashimi
Estimated global tuna market size
in 2013 (5,180 kMT)
Canned tuna

Katsuobushi

Other consumptions(unknown)
unit : x1000MT
Capture production in 2013 = 5,000 kMT)

EU 1,330 (26%)
Japan
750(14%) N. America 580 (11%)

Middle east
380 (7%)
Africa 170 Asia 1,100(21%)
(3%) S. America 590
(11%)
Oceania 270 (5%) Others 10 (0%)
Source：Fishstat J, a tool for fishery statistics analysis Release 2.12.2, Commodities production and trade 1976-2013,
Global capture production 1950-2014, Annual statistics of fishery products in Japan, Round-fish-based volume
estimated by yield rate Can=0.65, Katsuobushi=0.2, Sashimi=0.5 5
Japanese consumption is estimated by the trade and fisheries statistics of Japan
1. Overview of Japanese tuna market

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 Unique and variety of JP tuna products
Three main tuna products
Canned Tuna Katsuobushi
Soup Broth

Namari-bushi Hongare-bushi Dry powder Liquid

Sashimi tuna

Sushi Sashimi-block Skipjack Tataki Negitoro

(Minced tuna)
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 Trade flow of Japanese tuna market (2014)
Unit x1000MT
Round-fish-base
Import (Imported Can tuna 63 =
272 8%)
(36%)
Can 114
(15%)
Farming 15
(2%)
Others 10 Estimated
Supply Sashimi market
(1%)
PL 100 (13%) 668 (89%) 464 (62%) size
Local 751
LL 143 (19%) Production (100%)
s Katsuobus
PS 192 (26%) 460 (61%) hi174 (23%)
(Imported Katsuobushi
21=3%)
Export 64 (9%)

Source ： Japan trade statistics: Ministry of Finance, Japan, Japan Fisheries Information
Service Center , Japan canners association, Annual fisheries statistics, Distribution
statistics :Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan, Mitsubishi Corporation.
Tuna products are converted to round-fish weight by using the yield rates shown in the
table on right. Consumption = Capture production + Import – Export (Round-fish base)
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Time series of estimated tuna market size of Japan

25% dec
line

Source ： Japan trade statistics: Ministry of Finance, Japan, Japan Fisheries Information Service Center , Japan
canners association, Annual fisheries statistics, Distribution statistics :Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries,
Japan, Mitsubishi Corporation.
Tuna products are converted to round-fish weight by using yield rates. Consumption = Capture production + Import –
Export (Round-fish base)
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 2. Capture production of JP fleets
By species

24% decli 33%

ne declin
e

By gear types

PS

LL , PL
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Catch and auctioned price at landing ports in Japan
High grade
sashimi tuna

Medium grade
sashimi tuna
Canned tuna
Katsuobushi
SJ Tataki

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3. Thee main tuna markets in Japan

Sashimi tuna market

Katsuobushi market Canned tuna market

(Dried bonito) 12
Sashimi tuna consumption of JP market

Sashimi　Market

30% decl
ine

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 Typical distribution channels of sashimi tuna in Japan
Imported tunas Locally harvested
tunas
Trading
companies Farmed Purse Pole&line Longline
Seine Fish carriers

Fish market at landing

ports
(i.e. Yaizu) Auction
Wholesales markets(i.e. Tuna buyers
Tsukiji) (Processors)
(Primary wholesalers)
Auction Distributers
(Intermediate wholesalers)
Retail stores Super market Food service
chains industries
Rotary Sushi
restaurant,
Japanese restaurant
Consumers 14
Katsuobushi consumption of JP market

Katsuobushi Market

28% decl
ine

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 Katsuobushi processing (Total 3-4 months)
(1day) (2 weeks) (1day) (3 month)

Raw fish Thawing

(Frozen SJ) Boiling and loining
Drying &
Remove bones Smoking Shaving
Molding
2% 87% 11%

Namaribushi Arabushi Hongarebushi

(lightly smoked loin) (Dried without (Molded dried
molding) bonito)

Umami
Kezuri- seasonings (dry
bushi powder16
and
liquid type)
Canned tuna consumption of JP market

Canned tuna Market

14% decl
ine

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4. New challenges

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 4.1 Skipjack tuna “Tataki”

 Skipjack Tataki is a tuna loin seared briefly over a hot flame.

 It usually served with garlic, ginger and onion.

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 Local food to National diet

A local food National diet

(Hand made dish) (Mass-production foodstuff)

 SJ tataki used to be a handmade local food in Kochi, Japan.

 It started to be mass-produced by fish processors in Yaizu and
Makurazaki Japan since 1970s.
 SJ tataki has been promoted as a national diet
 Estimated consumption of skipjack Tataki is 26,000MT, which
account for 70% of sashimi-grade SJ tuna in recent years 20
4.2 Use of artificially seeds for tuna farming

Global aquaculture production in volume (MT)

Japan

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 Closed loop cycle of tuna farming technology

Wild
youngli Fertilize
ng d eggs
Farm raised
adults

Farm raised Artificially hatched

youngling larva

Farm raised
Fry
Only 0.5-1.0% of hatched fish ever become big enough to sell
Technology improvement is needed for better survival rates 22
Operation of long term farming business in Japan

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Courtesy : Marino-Forum 21, Kyokuyo Co., Ltd. (Japan)
Challenge to use more artificially seeds than wild
caught seeds for sustainable use of BF tuna

Wild caught seeds Artificially seeds

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Survival rate 50% survival rate only 1%
 5. Prospects for the tuna market in Japan

26% 60% increase

decl
ine

 Tuna market size of Japan shows 26% declines in the last decade as tuna
consumption per capita has dropped likewise.
 Number of JP restaurant in overseas shows a steep rise (1.62) in overseas
whereas that of Japan shows steady
Japan should export technologies together with sprits of Japanese
cuisine to respond expanding demands of Japanese foods in
overseas. 25
 END

Thank you for your attention.

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