Middle East tensions impact Japanese fisheries as fishermen fear being at a “life-or-death juncture”

Many fishermen lament that Japan’s fishing industry is at a “critical juncture”; if the fuel supply is interrupted, they will be unable to go out to sea, and they are calling on the Japanese government to take countermeasures. According to a report by Japanese media on the 19th, fishermen in places such as Wakayama Prefecture, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and Chiba Prefecture are worried about whether the supply of fishing boat fuel can be ensured and about soaring prices. Some areas have already begun to restrict the number of fishing days allowed for fishermen. The head of a fisheries association in Wakayama Prefecture said that in the past month, it has become difficult to procure fuel for fishing boats. To save fuel, fishermen have reduced their weekly fishing operations from five days to two days. In May, the local area may face an exhaustion of fishing boat fuel, at which point operations will be forced to halt. According to this official, Japan’s fishing industry is currently facing a “life-or-death” situation.