Changing Ocean Currents Shift Japan’s Tuna Harvest

Oct 03, 2025 | News On Japan

CHIBA, Oct 03, 2025 (News On Japan) - The usually abundant seasonal katsuo (bonito) is showing sharp regional contrasts this year, with Chiba Prefecture’s Katsuura port bustling while Kesennuma in Miyagi, Japan’s top landing site for 28 consecutive years, is seeing poor catches and soaring prices.

At Katsuura port, fishing boats have been bringing in haul after haul of katsuo, leading one port official to remark that it was unusual to see such quantities in autumn. Typically known for the “first katsuo” of spring, the port this year is experiencing unexpected activity in the autumn season, with the largest catch on one day reaching 21 tons, including fish weighing up to 8 kilograms.

In contrast, Tokyo’s popular seafood izakaya Taiko Chaya, which normally serves fresh autumn “returning katsuo” known for its fat content, was forced to use frozen fish on October 2nd. Owner Kan Saka explained: “This year the returning katsuo have not come back. The fat content is poor, so we have no choice but to use frozen fish.”

The situation is especially severe at Kesennuma port in Miyagi Prefecture, traditionally Japan’s leader in katsuo landings. Normally, fish weighing 2 to 3 kilograms are landed in abundance, but this season most catches are only around 1.2 to 1.3 kilograms and lack the expected fat. Even more alarming is the decline in volume: while more than 200 tons in a single day is not unusual in past years, only 85 tons were landed from nine vessels on one recent day. Prices have tripled, with wholesalers reporting that katsuo once sold for 1,000 yen now cost 3,000 yen.

Experts attribute the reversal to changes in the Kuroshio Current. According to Masahiko Ariji, professor at Kindai University, katsuo typically form fishing grounds along the warm waters of the Kuroshio. This year, the “Kuroshio large meander,” which had lasted nearly eight years, ended, shifting the current’s flow. With the current now running eastward from the northern Kanto region, fishing grounds have shifted, fueling Katsuura’s prosperity while leaving Kesennuma in decline.

Source: FNN

Toyota to Launch Self-Driving Taxis in 2027

Toyota Motor will begin operating fully autonomous taxis in 2027 through a partnership with U.S. self-driving technology company Waymo, marking a major step in the Japanese automaker's efforts to expand driverless transportation services.

Mount Fuji Puts on First Snowcap

Mount Fuji has received its first snowcap of the season, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced on October 30, after temperatures at the summit plunged to minus 9.4 degrees Celsius, marking the arrival of winter conditions on Japan's highest mountain.

Chinese Female Spy Suspected of Targeting Nvidia Chief

U.S. intelligence agencies suspect that a Chinese female intelligence operative developed a close relationship with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in an attempt to obtain confidential corporate and U.S. government information, according to a report published by The New York Times on October 29th.

Japan Blocks Websites Leaking GMO Personal Data

The Japanese government has asked major telecommunications operators to forcibly block access to websites believed to contain personal information stolen in a cyberattack on GMO, it emerged on October 29th, as authorities moved to prevent further exposure of sensitive data online.

Typhoon No. 31 Heads Toward Japan's Remote Islands

Typhoon No. 31 was located near Minamitorishima Island in the Pacific Ocean, as of 3 a.m. on October 30, and was expected to approach the Ogasawara Islands south of Tokyo over the October 31-November 1 weekend while maintaining very strong intensity, bringing a growing risk of dangerously high waves, powerful swells and extremely rough seas.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Food NEWS

Hokkaido Bankers Work the Fields to Guide New Farmers

Hokuyo Bank has launched an agricultural initiative in Hokkaido aimed at addressing a growing shortage of farmers and agricultural workers, with bank employees taking to the fields themselves to gain practical experience and help aspiring farmers and businesses enter the industry through financial assistance, technical training, and hands-on guidance.

Japan Egg Prices Hit Record High of 312 Yen

Egg prices in Japan have reached a new record high of 312 yen per pack, while imported beef and chicken thigh prices have also matched their previous peaks, adding to the growing burden on household food budgets.

Ramen of the Future?

Students at Osaka Metropolitan University have developed a 100% plant-based creamy shrimp miso ramen that recreates the rich flavor of seafood without using shrimp or meat, offering a glimpse of a future in which people with different dietary restrictions can enjoy the same meals.

Japan's New Rice Prices Plunge 42%

Japan's new rice harvest is reaching stores at significantly lower prices, with initial trading prices for the 2026 crop falling 42% from a year earlier and some supermarkets selling freshly harvested rice for around 2,000 yen per 5 kilograms, creating an unusual situation in which new rice is cheaper than older stocks.

Stricter Visa Rules Threaten Foreign-Owned Restaurants in Japan

Foreign business owners in Japan are facing growing financial pressure following a sharp increase in the capital required to obtain a business management visa, with an Indian curry restaurant in Shizuoka warning that it may be forced to close unless its sales quadruple.

Move Over Matcha: Purple Ube Becomes Global Sensation

A vibrant purple ingredient from the Philippines is gaining popularity around the world, with ube, a type of yam known for its mild sweetness and striking color, emerging as a potential successor to matcha in the global dessert market.

Highly Poisonous Mushrooms Spread Across Mount Takao

Highly poisonous mushrooms capable of causing severe skin damage through contact and even death if eaten are appearing in large numbers on Mount Takao in western Tokyo, raising concerns for hikers and families as unusually hot summer weather and prolonged autumn rainfall have created ideal conditions for fungal growth.

Nagoya's 1.5-Kilogram Noodle Challenge

A long-established noodle shop in Nagoya has become known for extraordinarily large servings, including its signature "Pitcher Koro," a 1.5-kilogram dish combining kishimen, soba and udon in a giant pitcher.

< 2 3 4 5 >