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Consuming 7.5 billion tons of marine products each year, Japan is the largest fish-eating country in the world. As an island nation where only 20% of the land is viable for use in agriculture, it’s quite understandable why the national choice in diet is so heavily entwined with fishing.
Despite all this, the maintenance of Japan’s fishing industry is under threat as global warming leads to rises in sea levels and catches decrease due to seawater pollution. Additionally, the rapid aging community of those with knowledge in the industry has led to a sudden shortage of successors.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom, with interests in fishing as a leisure activity having grown during the pandemic, as well as an increase in popularity of aquariums and demands for ornamental tropical fish racking up prices.
Both these threats and revival of interests in fish and related activities have led to Mizuno Gakuen’s proposal of a new school -- Japan Fish College -- which will allow individuals to learn in depth about fish, fishing culture and sustainability.
Japan Fish College will be Japan’s first vocational school where students can gain comprehensive and professional study of ‘fish’. The course will include classes that cover fishing, aquaculture, cooking processes, distribution, environment and tourism leisure relating to fish and the fishing industry.
The school is currently undergoing approval from educational bodies and is scheduled to open in April of 2023.
The school will be Mizuno Gakuen’s fifth vocational school in addition to Vocational school Hiko Mizuno Jewelry College Tokyo, Vocational school Hiko Mizuno Jewelry College Osaka, Tokyo Cycle Design College and Tokyo Sushi and Washoku Japanese Cooking College.
Kanagawa prefecture officially approved the school’s establishment on Aug 3, with Mizuno Gakuen currently undertaking preparations that will lead to the opening of the school in 19 months.
A school opening briefing session will be held for those in education, media and the fishing industry on the 17th and 28th of September. The briefing will be held through zoom. Reservation for the briefing can be made through the school’s website here.
Japan Fish College school briefing session
Contents: School establishment explanation, curriculum introduction, school principal greeting.
Dates and times:
Sept 17, 11:00 – 11:30
Sept 28, 16:30 – 17:00
Japan Fish College
Opening: Scheduled to open in April of 2023
Proposed building site: Misaki area, Miura City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Principal: Eiichi Matsuyama
Proposed courses:
Department of Marine Biology (3 years)
Department of Marine Biological Studies (4-year system)
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- External Link
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12 Comments
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kokoro7
I think it's a very good idea; liked the curriculum, as well.
Just hope they're totally honest about Fukushima waters.
Oxycodin
If you ever been around the coast all the fisherman are old folks. They want to encourage young adults to become a fisherman. Vocational college. Now if this was marine biology it would be a different story.
Fisherman make a lot of money because high risk job. Tsunami and storms not your best friend on around the ocean as a fisherman. But if i had a chance i wouldn't mind becoming a fisherman. Tired of sitting in cubicles.
Asiaman7
Off Fukushima might provide some insightful research.
piskian
Surely,it should be Japan Fish School?
rainyday
Oh yeah, they can go ahead and start and I’ve got nothing against them giving it a try. But I’m not bullish on their prospects.
rainyday
Not sure that I see this having a future. Japan has a rapidly decreasing population of 18 year olds each year which means its existing universities and colleges are already having difficulty sustaining student numbers. Its a shrinking market.
In addition to that, the Statement that it is Japan’s first “fish school” seems a bit misleading. It might be the first one to only offer “fish” related programs, but that just mmeans it has a very narrow focus. It looks like they offer programs in marine biology, which is something that lots of existing universities already offer programs in. The content of the program might differ, but bigger, established universities have a lot of competitive advantages over smaller new ones.
Plus, as the article says, Japan’s fishing industry is in decline, making it less attractive as a field of study for young people to begin with.
Mark
Sakuna-kun predictably their mascot? Lining his pockets I bet!
kohakuebisu
30 minutes is impressively concise for one of these orientations. They normally drag on and on. This one is also a school with no track record that will have to hard sell their programs. The Principal may also have many people to thank in getting the college going.
Just regarding the world facing the first alumni in 2026, perhaps the famous "Plastics!" moment in the movie The Graduate would now be "Insects!". Or "Algae!" With collapsing fishstocks everywhere, it's highly unlikely to be "Fish!".
Newgirlintown
Japan Fish College. I wonder how long it took to come up with that name.
Sven Asai
Sounds more like just some investment and tax money grabbing attempt. Because everyone loves fish and surely anything is possible for the investors and excused…lol Some new marine biologists running around after attending that school won’t so much fill your tables with fish, I estimate.