Japanese government aims to transition coastal fishing villages toward becoming tourism hubs

Published Sep 24, 2024

Tridge summary

The Japanese government is attempting to revitalize economically declining fishing villages by promoting maritime tourism. This 'umigyo' initiative aims to diversify the villages' economies, focusing on seaside holiday lodging, recreational fishing, cruises, and seafood restaurants, alongside processing and aquaculture operations. The strategy includes revising laws to share fishing port facilities with new businesses and targeting 12 districts for pilot projects to be expanded to over 500 fishing ports within five years. Suttsu in Hokkaido Prefecture is one of the pilot areas, focusing on oyster aquaculture and offering various maritime experiences, with an emphasis on training young people for marine industries.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Many Japanese fishing villages are in economic decline due to persistent low catch totals and rapid aging of their workforce, so in an attempt to revitalize these communities, the Japanese government is promoting marine-related tourism, which it refers to as “umigyo,” or maritime business, in several villages around the country.Poor catch totals have plagued fishing operations targeting several important species in Japan and are mainly related to higher sea surface temperatures that have driven traditional stocks to other locations.Meanwhile, the population in many of the country’s fishing villages has both aged and declined. While over 30 percent of the population of Japan as a whole is now over 65 years old, that total comprises around 40 percent of the residents in small fishing villages. The population of these villages stood at 2.5 million in 2005 but declined to just under 2 million by 2021.By diversifying the economy of these towns through tourism, including via seaside ...

Source: Seafoodsource