SUPPLY-DEMAND, COMMERCIAL DISTRIBUTION AND TRANSACTION OF THE CULTURED TUNA IN JAPAN - EMPHASIZING ON THE GLOBAL EXPANSION OF THE TUNA-FARMING BUSINESS -

The cultured tuna production which has suddenly expanded at the short time and the demand for it attract attention. Farming mode, distribution transactions, change of the market (domestic and international) and the price trend are reviewed from the Japan's position which is the biggest consuming country. This paper tries to describe the current status of the food system related to the cultured tuna. Japanese government began the development of the tuna culture technology in 1970. It was by the Fisheries Agency's project. Kinki University which is the large scale private university in Japan participated in the project. After that, 32 years have passed. Kinki University established the full farming of the bluefin tuna in August, 2002. On the other hand, in 1974, one Japanese private enterprise began its tuna farming business in Canada. Kinki University gave this company technical cooperation. Also, in the early stages of the 90s, as for the policy of the overseas fishery cooperation foundation, it supported the tuna farming business in Australia. It is very clear to understand that the long-term technological-development has supported the take-off scene of the tuna culture business not only in foreign countries but also in Japan. The total shipment scale of the cultured tuna expanded very much within about 10 recent years. However, the decrease of the wild tuna catch, the reinforcement of the fisheries regulation and the tuna body to dwarf are remarkable now. Under the condition as the mentioned above, Japan's tuna consumption, especially, in the market at the fatty meat of tuna of the cultured tuna is building up firm status. At present, the Mediterranean Sea coastal countries, Australia, Mexico and Japan have the tuna farming sites. Australia farms the southern bluefin tuna. The others do the bluefin tuna. About for 3 years, Japan farms the juvenile of the tuna. The global production areas are as follows. 8 coastal countries of the Mediterranean Sea; 18,000 tons (61 % of the cultured tuna quantity in foreign countries), Mexico; 4,500 ton (15%), Australia; 7,000 tons (24%). In 2003, Japan has 32 managements and 39 offices for tuna farming. In Japan, Kyushu and Okinawa district, the share shows itself as 80 % of the domestic production quantity. Especially, the share of Amami-oshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture exceeds 60 %. Therefore, this island has the maximum production scale of Japan. The amount of supply of BT and SBT was 56,000 tons in 2004. In Abroad, the tuna farming business forms a fixed connection between the importer and the wholesaler which have their office in Japan. In the field of the capital composition, the payment in advance, transaction and the way of settlement, each maintains their fixed relation. The market conditions of the cultured tuna are supported by "the decline of price level" and "the expansion of the general public consumption segment". These lead a team merchandising, and it is supported by the fixed business connection of each. This makes the profit of each business which are on the cultured tuna distribution. However, they have competition on the power balance among them.