Japanese scallop prices reach a historic high, with demand remaining weak unable to halt the upward trend.

The scallop fishing season in Hokkaido's Sea of Okhotsk ended in late November. As of the end of October, the cumulative catch was approximately 243,200 tons, a 15% decrease compared to the same period last year, with the annual output expected to be only 250,000 tons, marking the first time in seven years that it has fallen below the 300,000-ton mark. Specifically, the northern Wakkanai region saw a 5% drop in production to 119,000 tons, while the southern Kitami region saw a 23% drop to 132,300 tons. Due to high temperatures and poor growth, the scallop meat recovery rate has decreased by 1 to 2 percentage points, with the scallops being mostly small in size, primarily 5S grade, and in some areas even 6S and 7S grades. Affected by the reduced production, Hokkaido's frozen scallop adductor (locally called "Tama-reireisu") is expected to see a more than 30% drop in output for the 2025 fiscal year compared to the previous year. Since June, the price of 3S grade Tama-reireisu has surged from 5,000 yen per kilogram to 7,000 yen in October, nearly nine times higher than the same period last year. The prices of 4S and 5S grades have also risen to 6,000 yen per kilogram. The high prices have started to compress domestic consumption. Japanese retailers and conveyor belt sushi chains have been reducing the variety of scallops. A wholesaler from Toyosu Market in Tokyo revealed that the largest buyer has now shifted to the "Hometown Tax" gift project of local governments. He stated, "At this price level, it is impossible to stimulate new demand, whether in the domestic or export markets." Looking ahead to 2026, Hokkaido's scallop production is expected to continue to decline, mainly due to the severe shortage of young scallops in 2024. The industry predicts that large-sized products will remain scarce, while small-sized 6S and 7S grades, due to competition with production areas such as Peru, will mainly be digested in the domestic Japanese market. On the export side, the strong performance continues. Data from the Japanese Ministry of Finance shows that the average export price of frozen scallop adductors reached a new high in October, at 5,671 yen per kilogram, a 67% increase year-on-year. Among these, the average export price to the U.S. surged by 87% to 6,689 yen per kilogram, and to Taiwan by 64% to 6,092 yen per kilogram. In the first ten months of 2025, Japan's total exports of frozen scallops amounted to 12,600 tons, an increase of 3% year-on-year, with the average export price rising by 43% to 4,091 yen per kilogram. Exports to the U.S. decreased by 36%, and to Taiwan by 32%, but the unit prices reached new highs. On the other hand, exports of shell-on raw materials for reprocessing in Japan fell by 40% year-on-year to 23,400 tons, but the average unit price surged by 286% to 572 yen per kilogram. Exports to Vietnam decreased by 35%, and to Thailand by 53%. Although China's imports have been almost zero since the seafood ban was implemented in August 2023, Japan's scallop industry has diversified its layout, limiting the impact on prices. In May of this year, China relaxed some restrictions, and in early November, Japan exported scallops to China for the first time in two years, but this was suspended a few weeks later due to diplomatic friction. Industry insiders point out that the sustained high prices of Japanese scallops are closely related to the adjustment of the export structure. Even if demand slows down, supply tightness will still dominate the price trend. It is expected that in the first quarter of 2026, both domestic and overseas markets in Japan will continue to face the dual challenges of high prices and supply pressure.