The Liberal Democratic Party held the 7th General Meeting of the Parliamentary Group for the Promotion of Nishikigoi Culture and Industry.

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The 7th General Meeting of the Parliamentary Group for the Promotion of Nishikigoi Culture and Industry was held in Liberty Rooms 2 and 3 on the 8th floor of the Liberal Democratic Party headquarters.

This meeting, held approximately a year and a half after the 6th meeting in December 2023, coincided with a special session of the House of Representatives Budget Committee, which resulted in fewer parliamentary members attending. Nevertheless, key figures such as Chairman Yasukazu Hamada, Secretary-General Masaaki Taira, Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi, and Ojiya Mayor Etsuo Miyazaki were present.

From the All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association, Chairman Futoshi Mano attended along with Vice Chairmen Shunichi Yoshida and Mitsunori Isa, Board Members Kenji Tani and Katsunori Shinoda, and Niigata Regional Director Taro Kataoka. Many other representatives from Niigata Prefecture were also in attendance.

Following opening remarks by Chairman Hamada, Governor Hanazumi delivered a speech highlighting recent efforts to promote Nishikigoi, after which the meeting moved on to its agenda.

Address by Chairman Yasukazu Hamada
Masaaki Taira, Secretary-general of the Parliamentary Group
Etsuo Miyazaki, Mayor of Ojiya City
Futoshi Mano, Chairman of the All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association

The main agenda items included a report from the All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association on the following topics:
• Outcomes of the Nishikigoi Summit and follow-up initiatives
• Current state of the Nishikigoi industry
• Strategic measures for promoting and expanding Nishikigoi breeding
• Planning for the 2nd World Nishikigoi Summit

In particular, regarding the current state of the industry, Vice Chairman Shunichi Yoshida noted that although 21 varieties of Nishikigoi were officially certified under the Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS) in February 2022, the rise of overseas breeders underscores the need to preserve the credibility of Japanese-bred Nishikigoi by maintaining strict quality standards. To further enhance and protect the brand value, efforts are underway to utilize the Geographical Indication (GI) protection system, with the aim of securing early registration.

It was also noted that the 2nd World Nishikigoi Summit is scheduled to be held in conjunction with the Cool Japan EXPO in NIIGATA, planned for November next year.

Despite time constraints, the meeting featured active discussions involving relevant government ministries and marked another meaningful step toward designating Nishikigoi as Japan’s national fish.

Hideyo Hanazumi, President of the Promotion Association (Governor of Niigata Prefecture)

Address by Hideyo Hanazumi, Governor of Niigata Prefecture

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the esteemed members of the Parliamentary Group for the Promotion of Nishikigoi Culture and Industry for their continued support in advancing both the cultural and industrial development of Nishikigoi.

Today, the charm of Nishikigoi has spread across the globe. As the number of enthusiasts steadily increases, exports have been rising smoothly. Last year, Japan’s total export value of Nishikigoi reached 7.2 billion yen, making it one of the country’s key export items in the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors. The All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association has also been officially recognized as an export promotion organization.

As part of the Cool Japan initiative, we will continue to actively promote Nishikigoi worldwide.

In addition, exports to China resumed last autumn thanks to the efforts of all those involved. While expectations are high, there are also concerns that breeding techniques in China and Southeast Asia are improving. Since Nishikigoi is Japan’s national fish and a cultural asset born in Japan, there is growing concern among stakeholders about protecting this heritage from being overshadowed.

The World Nishikigoi Summit, held about three years ago, served as an opportunity to showcase Nishikigoi to the world as an element of Japanese culture. However, we must continue to create further opportunities for countries to recognize Nishikigoi as both a symbol of Japanese tradition and an embodiment of Cool Japan.

At the same time, we must move forward with establishing various rules and standards related to Nishikigoi. I sincerely ask for your continued support in promoting Nishikigoi culture and industry.”