Hamachi and Buri are the same type of fish, but they are known by different names depending on their size and maturity.

The Distinguished Island Producing the World’s Most Beloved Yellowtail

JAPAN
Wednesday, January 22, 2025, 07:00 (GMT + 9)

Nestled off the coast of Kyushu, a vibrant island community has transformed its fisheries into a thriving growth industry by cultivating Japanese yellowtail to meet global demand.

Hamachi refers to the younger, smaller fish, while Buri is the name used for the mature, larger fish. Photo: courtesy The Government of Japan

A Tradition Meets Modern Opportunity

Japan’s seas are rich with high-quality seafood unique to each region. While the global appetite for Japanese cuisine has driven a surge in demand for its marine products, domestic consumption has declined due to changing food preferences. Compounding this challenge, Japan’s fishery industry faces an aging workforce and a lack of successors. In response, the Japanese government, under Prime Minister Suga’s administration, has set an ambitious goal: to quintuple annual exports of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products to ¥5 trillion ($45 billion) by 2030. This initiative aims to rejuvenate primary industries, turning them into engines of economic growth and revitalizing local communities.

Nagashima Town, encompassing a series of fishing grounds stretching across several island bays, is famed for the production system that it developed for exporting fish year-round. Photo: courtesy The Government of Japan

One shining example of this transformation is Nagashima Town, located in Kagoshima Prefecture. Known as a major hub for Japanese yellowtail—a fish native to the surrounding waters—Nagashima has become a leader in this burgeoning industry. Locally called hamachi when young and buri when mature, yellowtail is a cherished delicacy. Despite its small population of under 10,000, Nagashima produces over 2 million yellowtail annually, making it the largest producer of buri in Japan. Since launching the BURI-OH brand in 2001, the town now accounts for a tenth of Japan’s annual yellowtail exports, shipping over 1,000 tons to 31 countries, with the United States and Europe as key markets.

The younger generation is actively participating as well: according to a 2018 survey, some 42% of individual owners who own family-run fisheries have successors, a much higher rate than the national average of 17%. Photo: courtesy The Government of Japan

Excellence Through Collaboration

At the heart of Nagashima’s success is the Azuma-Cho Fisheries Cooperative Association, a union of approximately 120 independent fish farmers. The cooperative has played a pivotal role in standardizing quality control and streamlining exports. It began exporting buri to the United States in 1982 and became the first fish farming organization in Japan to achieve Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) certification in 1998. This internationally recognized standard ensured compliance with stringent food safety requirements for overseas markets.

Since its launch, the BURI-OH brand has been enjoyed in Japanese restaurants overseas, mainly as sushi and sashimi. Photo: courtesy The Government of Japan

The cooperative also developed a robust production control system, tracking daily growth data and using a proprietary feed formula to guarantee consistency across the BURI-OH brand. Recognizing the preferences of international markets, they adapted their farming methods: fish destined for export are raised longer and fed raw fish to enhance their fatty, succulent texture, making them ideal for high-end sushi restaurants abroad.

Resilience and Innovation

While Nagashima has natural advantages—warm seas and abundant tidal streams—it has faced its share of challenges, particularly damage from red tides caused by algal blooms. In 2009 and 2010, these red tides wiped out 2.7 million fish, a devastating blow for the community. “Everyone thought it was the end of fish farming,” recalls Nakazono Yasuhiko, head of the cooperative’s sales division. Yet the town responded with determination and ingenuity. Farmers began harvesting fish earlier to avoid the red tide season and established new fishing grounds further offshore, where such events were less frequent.

BURI-OH brand sashimi Photo: courtesy The Government of Japan

These efforts not only restored confidence in the industry but also attracted young people to careers in fish farming, ensuring the sustainability of the trade. "We will continue to embrace new challenges so the next generation of farmers can carry on this tradition," says Nakazono.

A Model for Success

Nagashima Town’s success story demonstrates the power of collective effort and forward-thinking strategies. By investing in quality control, market-oriented approaches, and innovative solutions to environmental challenges, the community has maintained its independent, family-run fishing operations while thriving on the global stage. This remarkable transformation owes much to the Azuma-Cho Fisheries Cooperative Association’s leadership and the resilience of Nagashima’s people, whose determination to overcome adversity has secured their future as a cornerstone of Japan’s yellowtail industry.

A farmer nourishes the fish with original, standardized feed. Rigorous production control is carried out in each fish pen with data taken daily on everything from the amount of feed and dosage to the size of the fish. Photo: courtesy The Government of Japan

With their focus on sustainability and quality, Nagashima Town continues to set a benchmark for excellence in fisheries, embodying the spirit of innovation and collaboration that defines Japan’s efforts to modernize its primary industries.

The approach taken by Nagashima Town, which cherishes the symbiosis between the local environment and its people, while sufficiently addressing industry’s structural problems and carving out a path of economic growth, may be just the model needed to generate greater prosperity in Japan’s local regions.

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