Pacific Salmon

*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.