Hiroshima oyster farms face up to 90% loss as record warm seas bite

This year's oyster harvest in Hiroshima Prefecture has been devastated, with mortality rates reaching up to 90% at farms in Higashihiroshima and Kure, far exceeding the typical 30-50% loss. The region, which accounts for roughly 60% of Japan's cultivated oysters and sits within the Seto Inland Sea basin that provides about 80% of national production, saw producers such as Tatsuya Morio and Shuji Yamane lose almost all their stock, forcing the cancellation of seasonal gift shipments.

Agriculture Minister Norikazu Suzuki traveled to the area as local officials suspended the furusato nozei hometown-tax scheme and contacted more than 1,700 donors to arrange alternatives. Scientists from Hiroshima University attribute the die-off to record-high water and air temperatures, low dissolved oxygen, high salinity and reduced nutrients, linking the phenomenon to climate change. The shortage threatens restaurants, tourism and local employment, leading Japan's fisheries agency to offer low-interest loans and other financial aid, though officials acknowledge these measures only address the immediate shortfall. Longer-term proposals include moving oyster rafts to cooler, deeper waters, but reversing broader ocean warming remains a daunting challenge.