Tokyo International Seafood EXPO

Tokyo International Seafood EXPO
Name	Tokyo International Seafood EXPO
Status	Active
Genre	Trade fair
Frequency	Annual
Venue	Tokyo Big Sight
Location	Tokyo
Country	Japan
First	1990s
Organizer	Japan Fisheries Association

Contents

Tokyo International Seafood EXPO

The Tokyo International Seafood EXPO is an annual trade fair held in Tokyo at Tokyo Big Sight that brings together seafood producers, processors, distributors, buyers, and regulators from across Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and Africa. Major participants include national delegations from Japan, China, South Korea, Norway, Iceland, United States, Canada, Chile, Peru, and Russia, as well as industry associations such as the Japan Fisheries Association, National Fisheries Institute, European Seafood Exposition, Seafood from Norway, and Marine Stewardship Council. The exposition features trade pavilions, live demonstrations, product launches, and concurrent conferences attended by representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization, World Trade Organization, International Maritime Organization, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan), and private firms like Maruha Nichiro Corporation, Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Thai Union Group, and Nomad Foods.

Overview

The EXPO serves as a nexus for seafood trade negotiations, supply chain matchmaking, and technology transfer, attracting importers from United States Department of Agriculture, exporters linked to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and buyers appointed by retailers such as AEON Group, Walmart, Costco, Tesco, and Carrefour. It showcases value chains involving processors like Maruha Nichiro Corporation, cold-chain providers such as Dole Food Company, logistics operators including Nippon Express, and certification bodies like the Aquaculture Stewardship Council and GlobalG.A.P.. Attendees include delegations from port authorities including Port of Tokyo, seafood research institutions such as the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, and culinary representatives from establishments like Sukiyabashi Jiro and Nobu.

The exposition originated in the 1990s following initiatives by the Japan Fisheries Association and regional governments like the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to internationalize Japanese seafood markets and to respond to global events such as the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the expansion of World Trade Organization frameworks. Over time it incorporated elements from international fairs including the Seafood Expo Global and the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo, and has hosted special delegations after incidents involving supply chains referenced in reports by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization. Notable historical milestones include partnerships with Norwegian Seafood Council and the first official participation of Latin American delegations from Chile and Peru.

The EXPO is organized by the Japan Fisheries Association in cooperation with municipal authorities such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and national agencies including the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan). Advisory committees have included representatives from international organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Trade Organization, and the International Labour Organization, alongside private sector stakeholders such as Maruha Nichiro Corporation, Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Thai Union Group, Seafood from Norway, and trade unions like the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan when addressing worker safety. Governance structures incorporate exhibition standards from bodies like UFI (Global Association of the Exhibition Industry) and Japan External Trade Organization.

Exhibition categories cover fresh and frozen seafood from suppliers including Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Icelandic Seafood, and Russian Fishery Company, aquaculture technologies promoted by Aqua-Spark and Skretting, processing equipment by Bühler Group and Marel, cold-chain logistics from Kuehne + Nagel and DHL, traceability platforms from IBM Food Trust partners, and sustainability services by the Marine Stewardship Council and Aquaculture Stewardship Council. Concurrent programmes feature conferences with speakers from Food and Agriculture Organization, panels with representatives of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan), culinary demonstrations by chefs affiliated with World Association of Chefs' Societies, and buyer-seller matchmaking arranged with assistance from Japan External Trade Organization and JETRO.

Attendance typically includes thousands of delegates from national delegations such as Japan, China, South Korea, Norway, Iceland, United States, Canada, Chile, Peru, and Russia, purchasing agents from retailers like AEON Group, Walmart, Costco, Tesco, and Carrefour, and investors connected to firms such as Maruha Nichiro Corporation, Thai Union Group, Nomad Foods, and Marine Harvest (Mowi). Economic impact assessments reference trade mission outcomes reported by Japan External Trade Organization, export data compiled by Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan), and studies by institutions like Institute of Developing Economies and OECD showing effects on regional port activity at Port of Tokyo, cold storage demand with Nippon Express, and contract volumes for processors such as Maruha Nichiro Corporation.

Sustainability initiatives at the EXPO emphasize certifications from the Marine Stewardship Council, Aquaculture Stewardship Council, GlobalG.A.P., and traceability systems developed in collaboration with technology partners like IBM, Microsoft, and Oracle. Panels and workshops have included experts from the Food and Agriculture Organization, World Wide Fund for Nature, Greenpeace, and research centers like Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology discussing responsible sourcing, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing responses coordinated with Regional Fisheries Management Organizations and legal frameworks influenced by agreements such as the Port State Measures Agreement.

The EXPO confers industry awards recognizing innovation, sustainability, and market expansion, judged by panels including representatives from Japan Fisheries Association, Marine Stewardship Council, Aquaculture Stewardship Council, industry leaders like Maruha Nichiro Corporation and Nippon Suisan Kaisha, and academic experts from Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology. Award categories have mirrored global comparable recognitions at events such as the Seafood Expo Global and have elevated recipients who later gained listings with retailers like AEON Group and Tesco or certification endorsements from GlobalG.A.P. and the Marine Stewardship Council.

Category:Trade fairs in Japan