In response to China’s ongoing ban on Japanese seafood due to concerns about the Fukushima water leak, the owner of the Don Quijote discount chain, Pan Pacific International Holdings, is set to introduce Japanese scallops at 38 stores across Asia from November. This strategic move aims to broaden the customer base in Asian countries where Don Don Donki outlets operate, including Thailand and Malaysia.
The scallops, sourced from Hokkaido, will be featured in sashimi and scallop sushi at the 38 outlets, with Sen Sen Sushi eateries inside the shops offering the latter. The decision to export Japanese seafood is a proactive step by Pan Pacific International Holdings, distinguishing it from the domestic-focused initiatives undertaken by other Japanese retailers and restaurants following China’s seafood ban announcement on August 24.
To facilitate seafood exports, PPIH established the Pan Pacific International Club in 2020, an association supporting farmers and seafood producers. Leveraging this network, Japanese scallops can be delivered fresh, enabling them to be consumed raw, and shipped efficiently to adjacent ports and airports for export to various Asian markets.
In a bid to promote Japanese seafood, PPIH organized a three-day scallop “fair” at a Malaysian store, featuring scallops from Miyagi prefecture off Japan’s coast. Ichiro Miyashita, the Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, expressed the company’s strategy to expand seafood exports through awareness-building efforts such as organizing fairs.
The ban by China was prompted by Japan’s release of treated radioactive effluent into the ocean from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station, resulting from an accident. Japan’s trade data revealed a significant 75.7% year-over-year decline in the value of unprocessed seafood exports to China in August.
As a response to the embargo, Aeon, a grocery chain, and Seven-Eleven Japan, a convenience store chain, are increasing purchases of Hokkaido scallops for promotion in domestic stores. Additionally, restaurant operator Watami, conveyor belt sushi company Kura Sushi, and retailer Seiyu are actively featuring Japanese fish in sales promotions to mitigate the potential economic impact of China’s embargo.
