Okinawan fisherman reel in two live oarfish, eat portion of one

Feb 18, 2019 | News On Japan

Feb 18, 2019 (Japan Times) - Two rare deep-sea oarfish caught in fixed nets off Toya port on the southwest side of Okinawa stunned the local fishing community last month for simply being alive.

The oarfish, netted about 2.5 km away from the coast on Jan. 28, were about 4 meters and 3.6 meters long, according to the village of Yomitan's fisheries cooperative association.

Local fishermen later ate part of one of them.

"Although I've seen oarfish specimens before, it was the first time for me to see them alive," said Hajime Kinjo, head of the association.

The rare occurrence even prompted radio station FM Yomitan to broadcast the haul as breaking news.

Unfortunately, the two fish died before arriving at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in the town of Motobu. The remains were to be preserved as specimens.

According to the aquarium's records, the last time oarfish came ashore in Okinawa was about two decades ago near Iejima island, a 30-minute ferry ride away. The Okinawa Times reported an oarfish landing off Kumejima island in 2011.

One of the fish caught on Jan. 28 was torn in half while being unloaded from a ship, prompting local fishermen to eat its fin side as sashimi. They described the texture as jiggly.

Typhoons No. 28 and 29 Bring High Waves to Japan's Pacific Coast

Two typhoons moving across the Pacific southeast of Japan are expected to remain well away from the Japanese mainland, but powerful swells could bring rough seas to a wide stretch of the country's Pacific coastline throughout the three-day holiday weekend, according to forecasts updated at 3 a.m. on October 10.

Cyberattacks Spread Across Japan

A series of cyberattacks has disrupted business operations and exposed millions of customer records across Japan, with a ransomware attack on a cloud service provider affecting 495 companies and local governments nationwide, while convenience store operator Lawson has disclosed a separate breach involving more than 2.15 million personal information records.

Japan's First 360-Degree Projection Mapping Opens in Osaka

Japan's first 360-degree projection mapping show will open at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts on October 10, transforming the historic building into an immersive world of light, music, and seasonal imagery, with organizers hoping the attraction will also help stimulate the city's nighttime economy.

Tokyo University Professor Wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Tokyo University of Science professor emeritus Kenzo Soai has been awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with French chemist Henri B. Kagan for discoveries that transformed scientists' understanding of how chemical reactions can favor one of two mirror-image forms of a molecule.

US Military Halts All Okinawa Operations for 48 Hours

The US military suspended activities by all forces stationed in Okinawa for 48 hours from noon on October 7, an unusual measure following the arrest of a US Marine in connection with a robbery and murder case that has renewed scrutiny of crimes involving American service members.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Most Sightings of Fugitive Yoichi Hatta Reported in Kanto

Police in Oita Prefecture have revealed that the Kanto region accounts for the largest number of reported sightings of Yoichi Hatta, a fugitive wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run incident in Beppu in 2022, with authorities preparing to distribute new wanted posters nationwide from November as the search enters its fifth year.