2024年7月25日 10時29分1
The JAPAN UNI SUMMIT 2024, held on July 19, 2024, at Riviera Zushi Marina, was convened to explore the future of the global fisheries industry with a focus on sea urchins.This Summit was organised by Kita-Sanriku Factory Inc. (based in Hirono Town, Kunohe District, Iwate Prefecture, CEO Yukinori Shitautsubo) and the General Incorporated Association moova (also based in Hirono Town, Chair, Mikiko Makashita). The former, whose mission is “enriching the world’s oceans from Kita-Sanriku”, are integrating philosophical principles with practical applications in the processing, production and sale of marine products. These endeavours are bridging the divide between philosophy and practice, providing valuable, restorative, ecosystem services that will help drive further development towards a more sustainable fishing industry.
【Event Overview】
Venue: Riviera Zushi Marina
Date: July 19, 2024 (Friday)
Official Website: https://unisummit.jp/ (Japanese only)
Organizers: General Incorporated Association moova, North Sanriku Factory Inc.
Sponsors: The Nippon Foundation
Supporters: Oisix ra daichi Inc., Uoriki Co., Ltd., Richey FISHING, Hokkaido University, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies University of Tasmania, Deakin Marine Research and Innovation Centre.
■About JAPAN UNI SUMMIT
This summit was about the future of the world’s oceans looked through sea urchins.
About 30 years ago, Japan’s fisheries industry was rich in natural kelp and seaweed.
However, domestic production of sea urchin has declined significantly over the past few years, and the size of sea urchin roe has become smaller from ‘iso-yake’ throughout the country.
Iso-yake, also known as ocean desertification, is a phenomenon in which increases seaweed disappearance, and is considered to be enhanced by the increased winter activity of sea urchins as sea water temperatures rise due to global warming, which in turn feeds on seaweed, uprooting it from the buds.
In Australia, giant kelp forests, a type of seaweed, are said to have disappeared by more than 95% compared to a few decades ago, and this is a UNIversal Agenda (global agenda) that the world faces.
We are engaged in ‘sea urchin regenerative aquaculture’ aiming to convert ‘zombie’ sea urchins to tasty sea urchins rather than discarding them because of a lack of feed due to ‘iso-yake’, along with seaweed bed restoration. We feel a great sense of urgency to approach the issue from a variety of perspectives and with various methods.
In order to accelerate sea urchin regenerative aquaculture, and to promote the creation of blue carbon in Japan and globally, the summit was a place to think about UNIversal Action and methods that ‘enrich the future of the world’s oceans’, with key stakeholders who are demonstrating leadership in various fields.
■Programme (titles omitted, in alphabetical order)
12:45 Greetings
Mr Masahiro Komura, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Member of the House of Representatives
Prior to the opening, Mr Komura offered his best wishes for the success of the JAPAN UNI SUMMIT and congratulated the participants.
12:50 OPENING
Mr Yukinori Shitautsubo, CEO, KSF Australia / Kita-Sanriku Factory Inc.
Mr Kohei Tamura, CSO & Executive Officer, KSF Australia / Kita-Sanriku Factory Inc.
On behalf of Kita-Sanriku Factory, Mr Shitautsubo spoke about the background to his determination to change the world’s oceans and the fisheries industry, and his expectations for each participant’s commitment to ‘UNIversal Action’ to ‘enrich the oceans’ at this SUMMIT.
13:10 A global perspective on the state of the oceans.
Dr Masayuki Tatsumi Sea Forest ／Head of Research and Development
The presentation included sharing the critical situation in Tasmanian waters, where global warming and increasing numbers of sea urchins are having a major impact on the ecosystem, and efforts in Australia to restore seaweed beds through sea urchin harvesting and data management.
13:30 Panel discussion ‘What we can do to protect our rich oceans’
Panelists:
- Mr Kundo Koyama, Broadcast Writer, Vice President of Kyoto University of Arts, President, Orange and Partners Co. Producer for Signature Pavillion at Osaka/Kansai Expo
- Ms Hanako Watanabe, Senior Managing Director, Riviera Resort Co., Ltd., Representative Director, Specified Nonprofit Corporation Riviera Future Creation Project, Representative Director, General Incorporated Association Blue Carbon Belt Riviera Institute
- Ms Rika Sueyoshi, Representative Director, General Incorporated Association Ethical Association of Japan
- Ms Mikiko Makka, Vice President and COO, Kita-Sanriku Factory Inc., Representative Director, General Incorporated Association moova
Moderator:
- Mr Daiju Takahashi, Senior Executive Director, General Incorporated Association Higashi-no Shoku-no Kai Association, Representative, General Incorporated Association NoMA Lab
From their respective perspectives, the discussion revolved around the theme of what can be done to protect our rich oceans. Mr Koyama introduced a marketing method that uses the power of words to change perceptions. Ms Watanabe introduced circular agriculture, seaweed bed restoration and promotion of blue carbon in the Shonan area. Lastly, Ms Sueyoshi presented new perspectives on changing attitudes in the course of spreading awareness among consumers.
13:30 Pitches by Friends of the Sea
Speakers:
- Mr Hisanori Tayama, Representative Director, General Incorporated Association Marine Habitat
- Mr Fuga Shibuya, Chief of Aquaculture Business Department, Kita-Sanriku Factory Inc.
- Mr Sotaro Usui, President, Usufuku Honten Co., Ltd.
- Ms Hinata Sakurai, Director, NPO Shonan Shizen Gakko (Shonan Nature School)/Outdoor System Ltd.
- Mr Ichiro Higuchi, Project Assistant Professor, Division of Marine Applied Life Science, Hokkaido University
- Mr Hiroaki Suzuki, King of Caviar Kingdom
Facilitator:
- Yuki Tsuda, President, Fisherman Japan Marketing
The speakers, who are engaged in activities to ‘enrich the oceans’, gave presentations on how they came to consider the challenges of the oceans as their own, introduced the projects they are currently working on and presented their respective UNIversal Actions.
17:00 Actions Announcements「Universal Commitment」
Facilitator:
- Mr Kohei Takashima, President and CEO, Oisix La Daichi Inc.
- Mr Yukinori Shitautsubo, President and CEO, Kita-Sanriku Factory Inc./KSF Australia
After deepening discussions on the themes of technology development, resource management, logistics & supply chain, branding, finance and global cooperation, participants presented their UNIversal Actions.
18:00 Dinner
「Table For Sustainability〜Kita-Sanriku Aquagastronomy〜」
Greetings:
- Ms Elizabeth Cox, Minister (Commercial), Australian Embassy in Tokyo
- Mr Atsushi Kakunan, President, Sasakawa Peace Memorial Foundation
Facilitator:
- Mr Kenichi Watanabe, Producer, Table for Sustainability; Director, CJPF, Cabinet Office; Value Designer, XPJP
With a dinner featuring sea urchins from the Uni Ranch®︎, a unique system in the town of Hirono, scallops from Tasmania and ingredients from the Shonan area, the importance of protecting marine resources was highlighted through a delicious experience.
‘UNIversal Action’ was prepared by all participants, declaring actions to enrich the oceans
Kita-Sanriku Factory Inc. is a leading company developing high-quality sea urchin brands in the town of Hirono, Iwate Prefecture, home to the world’s only ‘Uni Ranch®︎’. With the mission of ‘Enriching the world’s oceans from Kita-Sanriku’, the company is leveraging its expertise in growing high-quality sea urchins to connect with the world through its new ‘sea urchin regenerative aquaculture system’ technology and promote initiatives to create a sustainable future for the fisheries industry. 2023 saw the establishment of an Australian subsidiary, with operations both in Japan and abroad.
Company name: Kita-Sanriku Factory Inc.
Affiliated organizations: Hironoya Corporation / KSF Australia Pty Ltd / Tasmania Blue Seafood Pty Ltd / General Incorporated Association moova
Location: 133-1, Taneichi-dai 22chiwari, Ono-cho, Kudo-gun, Iwate Prefecture
Established: 1 October 2018
Representative: Representative Director, Yukinori Shitautsubo
Business activities: production, processing and sales of processed agricultural, forestry and fishery products, planning and management of the development of vertical diversification (primary production + manufacturing + service), technological development related to the fishery industry.
U R L ：https://kitasanrikufactory.co.jp/en/
The phenomenon of ‘isoyake’ – marine desertification’ – is becoming an issue in Japan and around the world. We, who are based in a region where the main industry is fisheries, have a growing sense of crisis about this situation and established the general incorporated association moova in December 2022 in order to take actions to protect the limited resources of the sea and to connect them to the future. We are currently focusing on activities to restore seaweed beds, and in the future we will strive for a wide range of activities to maintain and develop the fishing industry, such as marine education and regional development in farming and mountainous fishing villages.
Organisation: moova
Location: 15-29, Dai-1chiwari 15, Yokono-cho, Kudo-gun, Iwate Prefecture, Japan
Establishment: 28 December 2022
Representative: Representative Director: Mikiko Mashimo
Activities: Marine environment conservation (seaweed bed restoration activities), marine education/industrial education, career education support , agricultural, mountain and fishing village community development
U R L ：https://kitasanrikufactory.co.jp/moova