Special Feature 2
In recent years, the consumption of marine products has been increasing worldwide amid growing health consciousness, changes in food culture, and expansion of supply chains. In addition, ocean temperatures near Japan are rising due to global warming, raising concerns about the impacts on the marine environment and ecosystems.
In order to address these issues, the Group has been working to ensure a stable supply of marine products through our aquaculture business and its over four decades of history, even in an ever-changing environment.
As A Leading Aquaculture Company
Business operations as a leader in aquaculture
Land-based aquaculture brand Mirai Salmon
Mirai Salmon
Dish made with Mirai Salmon
Nichimo, Kyushu Electric Power Company, Incorporated, Nishinippon Plant Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd., and Idouchi Salmon Farm K.K. jointly launched Fish Farm Mirai LLC as Kyushu’s first land-based salmon aquaculture farm. The company is now raising Mirai Salmon, a type of trout salmon, on the property of Kyushu Electric’s Buzen Power Station (located in the city of Buzen, Fukuoka Prefecture).
Currently, Mirai Salmon is used and served at famous restaurants and luxury hotels in Kyushu as a uniquely local ingredient.
Mirai Salmon is fed a high-quality feed developed exclusively by the Group, which gives it’s meat a more vibrant color than salmon caught overseas. Additionally, it contains more glutamic acid, a flavor component, than other salmon, whether wild or farmed, and is highly rated for its moderate fat content and firm texture. At the time of shipment, we use our proprietary electric sedation system to sedate the salmon and kill it while it is still alive, preventing any deterioration in quality due to bruising and ensuring high quality meat.
In addition, in November 2024, we entered a contest called “Best Local Donburi as Chosen by Stationmasters” hosted by Kyushu Railway Company in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture with our “Buzen Mirai Salmon Sashimi & Fried Sticks Donburi.” The dish was recognized for its taste and originality, winning second place out of 62 organizations that entered.
Based on these results, we will continue to expand sales of Mirai Salmon with the aim of establishing it as a well-known brand.
As a specialist in the aquaculture business
Landed coho salmon
In addition to land-based aquaculture, for over 40 years the Company has been involved in marine coho salmon aquaculture with the goal of achieving sustainable fishing. Utilizing the knowledge and know-how gained over the years, we currently provide consulting services to aquaculture businesses throughout Japan.
There are few companies in the world like the Group that provide total support from development and material sales to adult fish sales, and our comprehensive service system is an important factor in setting us apart from our competitors. Furthermore, as the global population grows and demand for food increases, sustainable protein production is an important business that is expected to grow in the future. Therefore, we carried out an organizational reform in April 2025 to strengthen aquaculture business.
We divided the business into two departments to enhance specialization and enable quicker responses: one that proposes new entries into marine and land-based aquaculture businesses and labor- and power-saving systems, and the other that handles the sale of feed and adult fish products. By providing seamless consulting services, the Company is not only able to directly reflect product requests from customers on the production floor, but also to achieve greater efficiency by having a single point of contact.
As a long-term goal, the Group is considering expanding into overseas business activities, harnessing the knowledge and know-how it has gained in Japan, where not only natural disasters but also climate change is severe.
Development of Aquaculture Business
Expanding the aquaculture business utilizing the Hokkaido brand
Marine aquaculture in Kushiro
From fishing to nurturing
The catch of wild salmon in Hokkaido has declined significantly, and in recent years, the volume has fallen to less than half of its peak, raising concerns about the depletion of resources. In response to this issue, the Group is working to expand the marine aquaculture business.
Because farmed salmon are fed frozen or heated feed, the rate of Anisakis infection is lower than in wild salmon, and there is almost no risk of food poisoning from Anisakis. As a result, salmon aquaculture is attracting attention even in Hokkaido, which had relied on its natural resources.
In addition, by taking advantage of the difference in water temperature between Hokkaido and Honshu and staggering the landing period, we are able to capture demand and set ourselves apart from competitors.
We have branded our salmon and in Kushiro it is named “Kushiro Akane Salmon” (trout salmon). We raise this salmon using local feed as part of our efforts for local production and consumption. Although still in the demonstration testing stage, we are working toward commercialization, including increasing the number of fish cages in operation from one to three. In addition to Kushiro, we are also conducting test aquaculture of trout salmon off the coast of Nemuro, where the waters are colder even in summer.
Demand for domestically produced salmon is expected to continue to increase in the future driven by such factors as avoiding country risk. Going forward, the Group will continue to promote its aquaculture business to grow together with local fishing companies, contributing to the supply of high-value-added marine products and creating a system for stable profits, thereby working toward sustainable fishing.