*Japan’s History with Pacific Salmon
Forty years ago, Japan enjoyed a self-sufficient seafood
industry. However, by the mid 1990s, it had changed. Japan was only 50%
self-sufficient and needed new suppliers to satisfy the huge demand at home. There
were several reasons behind the breakdown in Japanese fisheries. The reason was
that Japan was overfishing its stocks, and there were also natural factors
related to Japan’s complicated ocean system that ended up harming its fishing
stocks.
*Project Japan
Project Japan was form after a Norwegian seafood delegation visited the Asian country. Their
initial goal was to market all types of Norwegian fish. The project ended up in
having a profound effect on the culinary habits of Japanese who were
unaccustomed to eating salmon raw. Salmon was used for grilling. The Japanese
considered Pacific salmon dangerous to consume raw because these wild fish were
exposed to parasites.
Norwegian had to really fight to introduce salmon into the market. It took
15 years from when the first salmon came to Japan (in 1980) to the breakthrough
for raw consumption in 1995.
*How popular is
it? Where is it served? Do people eat it at home or only when they go out?
At Sushi Restaurant, Salmon is most
popular Nigiri in Japan. People eat Salmon at home, too. Salmon is very common
food in Japan.
*What is your
personal relationship to Salmon?
I don’t remember when I first tried
Salmon. I like grilled salmon but I do not like raw salmon, so even though
salmon is most popular Nigiri in Japan, I rarely eat Nigiri salmon at Sushi
restaurant.
