Seafood Scotland was among the industry leaders seeking to further strengthen ties with Japan on a trade mission to Osaka and Tokyo this week, alongside Scotland’s Minister for Business, Richard Lochhead MSP.

Led by Scottish Enterprise’s international team, the trade mission to Osaka and Tokyo included a visit to Japan’s largest supermarket chain, Aeon, to launch a new campaign which will see the chain promote Scottish mackerel to consumers.

The campaign coincides with a continued increase in Scottish mackerel imports to Japan – as well as rising popularity with Japan’s discerning consumers.

In the last four years alone, Scottish mackerel imports to Japan have risen sharply from 2% of the total market to 20% - a trend that continues to increase, putting Scotland in a prime position to capitalise on the country’s growing appetite for high quality seafood.

And, with ongoing tariff reductions under the UK-Japan trade agreement – which will see duty on UK mackerel imports gradually decrease until it is fully eliminated in 2033 – the position for Scotland’s producers and processors is further strengthened.

Seafood Scotland’s Head of Trade Marketing for the UK, Asia and the Middle East, Adam Wing, was part of the delegation in Japan and is leading on the promotion with Aeon, in partnership with SDI.

He said: “It’s incredible to see Scotland’s seafood companies gaining an even stronger foothold in the Japanese market as a result of our commitment to fostering trade relations over the years. Japan is without a doubt a significant market for Scottish seafood, so it’s key that we continue to build on the strong ties we have, especially given the favourable trading conditions we enjoy under the UK-Japan trade agreement.

“The enthusiasm the team at Aeon has shown for Scottish mackerel in particular has been encouraging, and their commitment to a fourth successive promotion is testament to the quality of the product itself, as well as the positive feedback from consumers during last year’s promotion. And it seems that other retail chains are catching on to what sustainably sourced, high quality Scottish seafood has to offer, as export volumes continue to increase.”

Business Minister Richard Lochhead said: “This growth proves the excellence of Scotland’s seafood specialists, who are committed to providing the highest quality product. I both share and admire their commitment to sustainable fisheries management, too, ensuring these opportunities can be realised now and in years to come.

“And it shows what is possible when we tell the world that we are open for business. Scotland has much to offer and I’m committed to championing Scottish businesses, opening doors to big opportunities.

“That’s precisely why I’m supporting Scotland’s food and drinks sector, and others, in Japan this week. I want them to grasp these opportunities, boosting the economy, creating jobs and improving our global standing.”

Keigo Yoshida, Scottish Enterprise’s food & drink specialist for Japan, added: “We first started working with Aeon on promoting Scottish mackerel in 2020 when we switched our focus from foodservice to retail as a result of the covid pandemic.  It has been fantastic to see the growth in Scottish mackerel in the Japan market since and the fact exports continue to grow is a strong sign of Japanese consumer’s acceptance of the premium quality of Scottish mackerel.

“We have an ambitious group of Scottish food and drink companies in Japan this week and I’m excited to introduce them to our networks here in market. I am sure we will see even more Scottish products on the shelves of Japanese supermarkets and on the menus of Japanese restaurants in future.”

Robert Duthie, chair of the Scottish Pelagic Processors’ Association, said: “We are delighted to be funding this mackerel promotion with Aeon as it will help build upon the significant increase in mackerel sales to Japan we have experienced in recent years.

“Our success in this market is the result of several decades in forging close relationships with Japanese buyers who recognise the premium quality of Scottish mackerel and our competitiveness in the international marketplace.

“We are confident these buoyant export sales will increase further on the back of promotions such as this, and which have come at a time when Scotland’s major mackerel processors are embarking upon significant investment programmes to modernise infrastructure and increase processing and storage capacity, as well as add product value.”