WE DON’T BUY IT!

Nippon Suisan, Maruha and Kyokuyo’s

continuing support for Japan’s whaling
exclusion zone, white area to be kept clear DO NOT PRINT BOX

www.eia-international.org

exclusion zone, white area to be kept clear DO NOT PRINT BOX

 © Clare Perry / EIA / WSPA
INTRODUCTION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS For its entire history, Japan’s commercial whaling industry has been
This report was written and researched by dominated by three companies—Maruha, Nippon Suisan and Kyokuyo.
Clare Perry. Additional research by Allan Thornton,
Danielle Grabiel, Dai Tsubokawa, Caroline Pott and
Fionnuala Walravens.
These three companies are now powerful multinational seafood enterprises
with extensive commercial seafood distribution interests in the European
Union, the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
EIA wishes to thank the International Fund
for Animal Welfare (IFAW www.ifaw.org)
for its support in the research and production With business ventures and offices that span the In late 2005, the Environmental Investigation
of this report. globe and dwindling domestic markets, Nippon Agency (EIA) launched a series of campaigns
The contents of this report are the sole Suisan, Kyokuyo and Maruha are increasingly to persuade the powerful whaling triumvirate to
reponsibility of EIA.
dependent on foreign markets and resources, shut down the whaling fleet and to cease selling
MARCH, 2008 in particular those of the U.S. and Europe. The whale products by targeting their lucrative
companies therefore carry a responsibility to foreign subsidiaries in the U.S., Europe, New
Environmental Investigation Agency their expanding international constituency, Zealand and Australia. As the companies came
62-63 Upper Street, London N1 ONY, UK which is overwhelmingly supportive of the under increasing pressure from their international
Tel: +44(0)20 7354 7960 Fax: +44(0)20 7354 7961 protection of whales from commercial hunting. customers and subsidiary companies, EIA
email: ukinfo@eia-international.org
demanded their assurance that they would not
PO Box 53343, Washington DC 20009, USA From the outset of their large-scale commercial just divest their shares in the whaling fleet
Tel: +1 202 483 6621 Fax: +1 202 986 8626 hunting operations in the late 1920s until the company, but would permanently shut down the
email: usinfo@eia-international.org
exclusion zone, white area to be kept clear DO NOT PRINT BOX
international ban on commercial whaling in whaling operation to comply with international
1986, Nippon Suisan, Kyokuyo and Maruha laws that protect great whales from such hunting.
profited from the death of nearly half a million Instead, Kyokuyo, Maruha and Nippon Suisan
great whales. enabled the continuation of the whale hunt by
But their culpability does not rest there. In the donating their shares in Kyodo Senpaku to pro-
late seventies, declining whale populations whaling ‘public interest corporations’, including
had already forced the whaling departments of the government-controlled Institute of Cetacean
Kyokuyo, Maruha and Nippon Suisan to down- Research (ICR) which conducts Japan’s whaling.
size and merge to form Nippon Kyodo Hogei The three companies thereby provided a massive
Co., Ltd. In 1987, one year after the commercial donation to ensure the continuation of Japan’s
whaling ban took effect, Nippon Kyodo Hogei large-scale whaling while trying to reduce the
was dissolved and most of its assets were risk of international consumer boycotts of their
transferred to a newly established company seafood products in the lucrative and growing
exclusion zone, white area to be kept clear DO NOT PRINT BOX
named Kyodo Senpaku Kaisha Ltd. with the markets of Europe and the U.S.
www.eia-international.org three companies owning approximately a third
MAX SIZE = N/A
MIN SIZE = 30mm
However, divesting the shares did not remove
share each. Using special permits issued by the their responsibility for Japan’s current whaling,
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: Government of Japan to kill whales under the which was conceived and agreed while they
Main Image: guise of ‘scientific research’, Kyodo Senpaku owned the whaling fleet, nor for their dominant
© Greenpeace / Kate Davison continued to hunt whales and commercially roles in the destructive history of commercial
Strip (left to right): distribute the whale meat across Japan. In this whaling. Kyokuyo, Maruha and Nippon Suisan
© Greenpeace / Jiri Rezac © Ezra Clark / EIA, way, Maruha, Nippon Suisan and Kyokuyo, hold positions of enormous influence over the
© Clare Perry / EIA, © Clare Perry / EIA / WSPA
together with the Government of Japan, have Government of Japan. These companies can,
Many thanks to Emmerson Press for the perpetuated Japan’s commercial whaling industry and must, use their influence to persuade the
printing of this report. for more than two decades beyond the ban. Government of Japan to immediately cease
Emmerson Press +44 (0)1926 854400
Since 1994, the numbers and species of Kyodo Senpaku’s killing of whales in the
Printed on recycled paper.
whales killed have continually expanded. In Southern Ocean whale sanctuary and the
Design by Revolting
2005, Nippon Suisan, Maruha and Kyokuyo as North Pacific ocean.
aiY
www.wearerevolting.co.uk
shareholders of Kyodo Senpaku agreed a further EIA is calling on Maruha, Nippon Suisan
massive expansion of the Southern Ocean whale and Kyokuyo and their foreign subsidiary
hunt to start in 2007/08; to more than double companies to use their substantial influence
the number of whales to be killed and to include to permanently end all whaling activities
endangered fin and humpback whales. The three of the Kyodo Senpaku whaling fleet and to
companies also continued to sell tens of millions decommission the vessels and equipment used to
of cans of whale meat annually across Japan. hunt, kill and process whales.
1
Japan’s escalating
commercial whaling
no end in sight
With the implementation of the ban on commercial whaling in
1986, the strategy of the Government of Japan, Nippon Suisan,
Maruha, and Kyokuyo was to continue commercial whaling
at reduced levels, claiming it was for ‘scientific research’, but
continuing to commercially trade the products. Although the
number of whales killed was initially reduced, the hunt has
steadily expanded since 1994. In 1987, 273 Antarctic minke
whales were harpooned.1 Twenty years later, the Kyodo
Senpaku whaling fleet plans to kill nearly 1,300, nearly five
times as many.2
In 1994, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) agreed a
further layer of international protection for whales in the area
of the Southern Ocean, through the adoption of an IWC whale
sanctuary which prohibited all whale hunting. The Southern
Ocean whale sanctuary was adopted by 23 votes to one: Japan
was alone in its opposition.3 Rather than respect the legality of
the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary, Kyodo Senpaku continued
to kill up to 440 minke whales there each year.4
In 2005, when Maruha, Kyokuyo and Nippon Suisan jointly

© iStock
owned the Kyodo Senpaku whaling fleet, a major expansion of
the hunt was planned, with a proposal to kill up to 935 minke
whales, 50 fin whales and 50 humpback whales each year.5
Humpback and fin whale populations were severely depleted
by commercial whaling during the first half of the 20th century, 1200 SO Minke
particularly in the Southern Ocean, and were designated as NP Minke
vulnerable and endangered by the World Conservation Union
(IUCN) in 1996.6 Historic records show that Nippon Suisan, Bryde’s Whales
Kyokuyo and Maruha hunted more than 4,200 humpback whales Sperm Whales
and more than 115,000 fin whales in the Southern Ocean before
their protection in 1963 and 1976 respectively.7
1000 Sei Whales
In 2005/06, the whalers killed 853 minke whales and ten fin Fin Whales
whales. Due to a fire on the Nisshin Maru factory ship which 2007/08 data is based on actual North Pacific
cut the season short, the following Antarctic season ended in a catch and quota for Southern Ocean
(not reported as we go to print)
smaller hunt of 505 minke whales and three fin whales.8 800
The 2007/08 season was destined to be the first humpback
whale hunt for more than four decades, resulting in
unprecedented international attention to the plight of Antarctic
Number Of Whales

whales and an intense outcry at the Kyodo Senpaku plan. In

December 2007, the Government of Japan agreed to ‘delay’ the 600
humpback hunt until after the June 2008 Annual Meeting of
the IWC. According to Japan’s Foreign Minister Komura, the
humpback hunt will only be postponed as long as “…the IWC is
judged to move towards a normalization of its activities”, by which
he means lifting the ban on commercial whaling.9 400
The expanded Southern Ocean whale kill is intended to be
carried out indefinitely, with reviews every six years.10 If the
full hunt is carried out from 2008 onwards, it will result in the
death of over 5,000 Antarctic minkes, 213 fin whales and 150
humpback whales during its first six years.11 200
While the number of whales killed each year has doubled,
the tonnage of whale meat produced will triple; fin whales yield
an estimated 26 tonnes of whale meat, compared to just
4 tonnes from Antarctic minke whales.12 Clearly, the aim of
the expanded hunt is to increase production and consumption 0
of whale meat in Japan. With rumours of a new factory ship
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006

2007

to be built at an estimated cost of up to $188 million,13 there Year donates catches that year including the Antarctic season, e.g.
is no end in sight to Kyodo Senpaku’s commercial whaling, 1987 includes 1987/88 Antarctic season
unless international pressure is brought to bear on Japan’s three
influential seafood giants. Figure 1 Whaling since the ban
2
 Decades of destruction
Japan’s whaling companies
Maruha, Nippon Suisan and Kyokuyo have company was renamed Nippon Hogei in 1934
been the major players throughout Japan’s and embarked on its first whaling expedition
commercial whaling history. At the height of the to the Antarctic Ocean. In 1937 it became the
Japanese whaling industry in the 1960s, the three whaling department within Nippon Suisan
companies operated a combined fleet of more than (meaning ‘Japan Fishing’), which had been
140 vessels, including nearly 90 whaling ships.14 founded in 1911.20
In 1976, due to declining whale populations and Historic whaling records implicate Nippon Suisan
the prospect of a world-wide ban on whaling, the in the death of more than 165,000 whales in
whaling departments of Kyokuyo, Maruha and the North Pacific and Antarctic before the 1986
Nippon Suisan down-sized and merged to form moratorium on commercial whaling.21
Nippon Kyodo Hogei Co. Ltd. The new company
started operations with a much reduced fleet Kyokuyo
of just 20 whaling vessels and three factory Kyokuyo was established in 1937 as Kyokuyo
processing ships, and by 1977 only four ships Hogei K.K. (Polar Seas Whaling Ltd), which
were regularly whaling.15 Despite this, Nippon had expanded from a smaller coastal whaling
Kyodo Hogei killed nearly 38,000 whales before company called Ayukawa Hogei.22 IWC whaling
the moratorium on commercial whaling in 1986.16 records report Kyokuyo’s first whale catches in
Conservative estimates show that between them the Antarctic in 1938.23 In the 1950s, Kyokuyo
Maruha, Kyokuyo and Nippon Suisan killed began transforming into a food processing
nearly half a million whales in the Antarctic and company but remained significant in the whaling
North Pacific before the global ban on commercial trade. Kyokuyo Hogei changed its name to
whaling.17 With the backing of Maruha, Nippon Kyokuyo Co Ltd. in 1971.24
Suisan and Kyokuyo as shareholders and Catch statistics indicate the direct involvement
financiers, more than 10,000 whales have been of Kyokuyo in the killing of more than 141,000
killed by the Kyodo Senpaku fleet since the whales during its 70 years of commercial whaling
moratorium. 18
activities in both the Antarctic and North Pacific.25
Nippon Suisan Maruha
The history of Nippon Suisan’s commercial Maruha was started in 1880 as a fish wholesaling
whaling can be traced back to 1899, when the company by founder Ikujiro Nakabe.26 The
father of modern Japanese whaling established company, originally known as Tosa Hogei,
Nihon Enyo Gyogyo K.K (Japan Far Sea moved to Shimonoseki in 1904 and was rapidly
Fishery).19 In 1905, the company was reorganised established among the pioneers of modern
into a larger concern, named Toyo Gyogyo K.K., whaling. In the 1930s, Taiyõ Gyogyõ K.K. (Ocean
which later merged with other companies to form Fishery Ltd.) emerged from the amalgamation of
Toyo Hogei in 1909. After further mergers the several whaling companies including Tosa Hogei.27
Maruha’s large-scale whaling can be traced back
90,000
to 13th November 1936, when Taiyõ Gyogyõ’s
ship the Nisshin Maru carried out a four month
80,000 Maruha whaling expedition in the Antarctic, killing more
Nippon Suisan than 1,000 whales, including 807 blue whales.
70,000 This was the start of a whaling campaign that
Kyokuyo would claim the lives of almost a quarter of a
60,000 Nippon Kyodo Hogei million great whales, including 8,000 blue whales
and 60,000 fin whales.28
Number Of Whales

50,000 In 1955 Taiyõ Gyogyõ acquired Nippon Kinkai

Hogei (latterly known as Taiyo A&F), which
40,000 contributed to the whaling fleet operating in the
North Pacific.29
30,000 Taiyõ Gyogyõ changed its name to Maruha
Corporation in 1993 and in 2004, Maruha Group
20,000 Inc. was established as a holding company with
Maruha Corporation a fully owned subsidiary.30
10,000 Nippon Kinkai Hogei underwent several mergers
and name changes before being established as
0 Taiyo A&F Co Ltd. (TAFCO) in 1996. TAFCO
1929-1936 1937-1946 1947-1956 1957-1966 1967-1976 1977-1986 became a wholly owned subsidiary of Maruha
Corporation in 2003.31
Figure 2 Whales killed by the three companies before the ban on commercial whaling

3
 © Claire Bass / EIA
© Claire Bass / EIA

© Claire Bass / EIA

© Clare Perry / EIA / WSPA

How Japan continued
its whale hunt
In 1982, the International Whaling Commission The ICR then contracted Kyodo Senpaku to
(IWC) agreed to a moratorium on all commercial continue whaling, initially in the Southern

© Ezra Clark / EIA

whaling, setting zero catch quotas for all the Ocean and from 1994 in the North Pacific. Upon
great whales listed under the International completion of the hunts, the ICR consigns Kyodo
Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW). Senpaku to sell the whale meat commercially at
The ban came into effect from 1985/86 for pelagic set prices.37 In this way, Maruha, Nippon Suisan
whaling and 1986 for coastal whaling.32 and Kyokuyo together with the Government
Japan initially registered an official objection of Japan have perpetuated Japan’s commercial
to the moratorium allowing Nippon Kyodo whaling industry for two decades beyond the
Hogei (the company formed by the merger of ban, killing more than 10,000 whales.
Kyokuyo, Maruha and Nippon Suisan’s whaling
departments) to continue commercial whaling. Selling whale meat across Japan ABOVE:
Nippon Suisan, TAFCO (Maruha),
In the year after the ban came into effect, Nippon In addition to their role as owners of the whaling Kyokuyo canned whale products
Kyodo Hogei and other Maruha-associated fleet and wholesalers of whale meat to companies and TAFCO whale sales brochure.
whaling companies hunted 1,941 minke whales across Japan, Maruha, Nippon Suisan and Kyokuyo
in the Southern Ocean and hundreds of sperm continued to process and sell their own branded
and Bryde’s whales in the North Pacific.33 whale meat products after the ban on commercial
When the objection was withdrawn under U.S. whaling. EIA investigations from 2003 to 2006
diplomatic pressure, Japan was forced to abide revealed that Nippon Suisan and Kyokuyo branded
by the moratorium: from May 1987 with respect cans of whale meat were the most widely sold in
to pelagic whaling; from October 1987 with leading Japanese supermarkets and convenience
respect to coastal whaling for minke and Bryde’s stores across the country.38
whales; and from 1 April 1988 with respect to Maruha subsidiary TAFCO (Taiyo A&F) also
commercial coastal sperm whaling.34 produced canned whale meat and a range of
In 1987, Nippon Kyodo Hogei was dissolved and other whale products, including whale meat
its assets — and many of its employees — were for sashimi and whale heart and tongue.39
subsequently transferred to a newly established In February 2006, EIA investigators visited
vessel and crew charter company named Kyodo TAFCO’s Miyagi based office. TAFCO declined
Senpaku Kaisha Ltd., with the three companies a formal interview but explained that their
as primary shareholders owning a one-third share salted whale products were distributed mostly
each.35 The rest of the employees merged with an in northern Japan - in Aomori, Akita, Yamagata,
existing institute, the Whales Research Institute, Niigata and Fukushima - while canning of whale
to form the Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR), meat took place in their Tohoku and Tokyo
which was then issued with special permits area factories.
by the Government of Japan to kill whales for
‘scientific research’ in the Antarctic.36
4
 Deals and
As the international community has become increasingly In April 2006, the CEO of Gorton’s told EIA
that Nippon Suisan would divest its shares
appalled at Japan’s continued and expanding commercial in Kyodo Senpaku and would not buy, sell,
process or trade any more whale meat after the
hunting of whales, Nippon Suisan, Maruha and Kyokuyo current stocks ran out, which they estimated
would be around July 2006.43 Nippon Suisan
recently attempted to disassociate their company names from made no formal or public response to EIA and
whaling after international campaigns targeted their lucrative its campaign partners, although an article in
the London Independent reported that Nippon
foreign subsidiaries in the U.S., Europe and New Zealand. Suisan had denied it had succumbed to pressure.
According to the Independent, a notice on Nippon
Suisan’s Japanese website at the time read: “We
EIA investigations show, however, that they
are committed to redouble our efforts to promoting
are still very much involved in, and central to,
sustainable utilisation of whale resources.”44
the whaling business. In particular Maruha
and Nippon Suisan-related companies play a In April 2006, EIA exposed TAFCO’s continued
major role in the whale meat wholesale market, sale of whale meat and Maruha’s continuing
overseeing the distribution of whale meat to responsibility for Japan’s whaling. Maruha had
smaller whale trading companies. previously attempted to distance itself from
the whaling business in 1999 by selling its
Starting in late 2005, EIA and other non-
31% share in Kyodo Senpaku and ceasing the
governmental organisations (NGOs) launched a
sale of Maruha labelled canned whale meat.
series of campaigns focused on Nippon Suisan,
The sale of shares had proved to be merely a
Maruha and Kyokuyo and their international
smokescreen, as the shares were sold to TAFCO,
subsidiary companies such as U.S. seafood giant,
a Maruha subsidiary company, which continued
Gorton’s of Gloucester, a wholly owned subsidiary
to process and sell whale meat.45 At the same
of Nippon Suisan. The companies were urged to
time, EIA continued to put pressure on Nippon
end the Kyodo Senpaku whale hunts for good by
Suisan requesting its assurance that it would
disassembling the whaling fleet and stopping the
permanently shut down the whaling fleet and
sale, processing and distribution of whale meat.40
cease to conduct any whale product distribution.46
As the companies came under increasing
The share transaction took place in June 2006.
pressure from their international customers
According to corporate reports, the companies
and subsidiary companies, EIA demanded their
gave their shares in Kyodo Senpaku to five pro-
assurance that they would not just divest their
whaling ‘public interest corporations’ including
shares in the whaling fleet company, but ensure
the government controlled ICR, without receiving
the permanent shutting down of the whaling
payment, thereby subsidising Japan’s commercial
operation. Yet again, Kyokuyo, Maruha and
whaling to the tune of tens of millions of dollars.47
Nippon Suisan acted to ensure the continuation
The companies sought to distance themselves from
of the whale hunt. In March 2006, in an apparent
whaling, but refused to stop the hunt carried out by
effort to distance themselves from whaling, all
the whaling fleet they had set up 20 years earlier.
three companies announced their intention to
divest their shares in the Kyodo Senpaku whaling Although Nippon Suisan had announced it would
fleet.41 Nippon Suisan further stated that it would end sales of canned whale meat, no such pledge
stop selling whale meat.42 was initially made by Kyokuyo or by Maruha’s

5
deception

© Tom Brakefield
subsidiary, TAFCO.
On 10th April 2007, EIA together with the
Humane Society International (HSI) and the
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)
launched a campaign to persuade Kyokuyo
to stop its large scale sales of whale meat,
estimated at tens of millions of cans each year.
EIA urged True World Foods, a large U.S. sushi
supplier that had recently teamed up with
Kyokuyo, to convince its business partner to get
out of the whaling business.48
True World Foods released a statement on their
website just one day after the campaign launch:
“We deeply respect the right of animal rights

© Claire Bass / EIA

organizations to express their views and to take
constructive action in support of their beliefs,”
said True World Foods CEO Takeshi Yashiro.
“At the same time, the public should know that True
World Foods has never, does not and never will sell,
deal in or purchase whale meat. We are in the process
of reminding all of our suppliers that we advocate
humane fishing practices and we urge them all to
support such practices worldwide.” 49
Kyokuyo responded six days after the launch of
the campaign, issuing a public statement to the
© Mia Strickland / EIA

effect that Kyokuyo was no longer involved with

Kyodo Senpaku, and would cease the sale of whale
products once current stockpiles were sold.50
In a letter to EIA dated 4th June 2007 Kyokuyo
© EIA

America, on behalf of Kyokuyo Co Ltd., also stated

that they expected the sale of whale products to
be completed around the end of September 2007, ABOVE:
and that they did not plan to hand over their whale
related business to another company.51 Top: Whale meat sold by Kyokuyo on display at
seafood exhibition.
On 30th May 2007, the Tokyo based Bloomberg
TV reporter Stuart Biggs wrote that Maruha had Bottom: True World Foods – Kyokuyo’s US sushi
joined Kyokuyo and Nippon Suisan in ending sales business partner, and Gorton’s of Gloucester –
of whale meat. Biggs had interviewed a manager wholly owned subsidiary of Nippon Suisan
in Maruha’s public relations department who had
stated that the Maruha decision was “partly in
response to complaints” from environmental groups.52

6
 BELOW:
Top: Taiyo Gyogyo (now Maruha) sign advertising the sale of whale meat, frozen fish
and salted fish, photographed in Fukuoka fish market November 2007.
LH side: Nippon Suisan sign outside whale trade company,
advertising the sale of whale meat, frozen fish and salted fish.
Bottom: Frozen Antarctic whale meat in Kyodo
Senpaku labelled boxes, on sale in Fukuoka
fish market November 2007.
The trader said they were
supplied by Maruha.

Continued involvement interviews

in the whale trade with whale traders
in Shimonoseki, home port to
In late 2007, EIA and coalition partners IFAW the Kyodo Senpaku whaling fleet, revealed
and HSI wrote to Nippon Suisan, Kyokuyo, one other company that was buying whale meat
Maruha and their subsidiaries, urging them to from Nippon Suisan, while some purchased
use their influence to bring about a permanent whale meat directly from Kyodo Senpaku.
end to all whaling by Kyodo Senpaku. While
no direct response was forthcoming from the When EIA’s Japanese researcher telephoned
three Japanese fisheries companies, Gorton’s Maruha, TAFCO and Nippon Suisan headquarters
of Gloucester replied on behalf of Nippon in November 2007, all three companies denied
Suisan. According to Gorton’s response, dated trading in whale meat.
November 27th 2007: “In response to your letter, In February 2008, EIA investigators spoke with
our parent company, Nippon Suisan, no longer a representative of Maruha’s leading wholesale
has any links, direct or indirect, to the Japanese subsidiary company, Daito Gyorui Co. Though
government’s whaling program, having severed all reluctant to talk about the whale issue, which it
remaining operations in 2006. Our parent divested said was ‘delicate’, Daito Gyorui admitted that
its shareholder interests in Kyodo Senpaku over a they distributed whale meat.54
year ago and has no influence on that company’s
direction. Nippon Suisan no longer sells whale In the 1950s and 60s, Maruha (then Taiyõ
meat and has rejected the government’s request to Gyogyõ) became a major player in the
sell whale meat”.53 distribution of whale meat through its
However in November 2007, an undercover ownership of wholesalers such as Daito Gyorui
EIA investigative team in Japan was told a in major markets throughout Japan.55 Daito
different story. EIA interviewed two whale trade Gyorui is the largest wholesaler in Tokyo’s
companies based in Fukuoka. EIA was told by Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market, the
one company that their whale meat was supplied largest seafood market in the world. It 56is also a
by Nippon Suisan, while the second company leading company of the Maruha Group.
stated it was supplied with whale meat by In 2006, Daito representative Yoshiaki Kochi
Maruha. EIA covertly filmed a second interview was quoted as saying ‘’The fall in prices [of
at the premises of the first whale meat company whalemeat] is a good thing because it will make
later that day. The company spokesperson whale meat more accessible”.57
reiterated that their whale meat was supplied by EIA also contacted Chuo Gyorui Co., another
Nippon Suisan, and stated that all of the smaller leading wholesale company in the Tokyo Central
whale trade companies in Japan were supplied Wholesale market which is partly owned by,
by either Maruha or Nippon Suisan. He further and has close business ties with, Nippon Suisan.
stated that Nippon Suisan and Maruha were the Chuo Gyorui also alluded to the ‘difficult’ nature
largest suppliers of whale meat. Subsequent of the whale trade, but admitted to selling whale

7
 © Greenpeace / Jiri Rezac
meat.58 The Japanese website of Chuo Gyorui February 2008, Kyokuyo canned whale meat
also lists whale as a product under its frozen is also still available for purchase online at
seafood department.59 numerous sites, including Rakuten, one of
Nippon Suisan is a significant shareholder Japan’s largest internet retailers.66
of Chuo Gyorui and Chuo Gyorui also owns
a small stake in Nippon Suisan. The two
companies have close business ties, with the
executive director of Nippon Suisan serving as
non-executive director of Chuo Gyorui. Nippon
Suisan and Chuo Gyorui recently concluded
a deal to combine their wholesale and
A family business
distribution businesses. The merged company, Nippon Suisan, Maruha and Kyokuyo have
Hohsui, which expects to more than double its continued their prominent role in pro-whaling
sales by 2011, will be a consolidated subsidiary industry groups, including the Japan Fisheries
of Chuo Gyorui and a Nippon Suisan-affiliated Association (JFA), an umbrella organisation
company.60 According to a Japanese seafood for Japan’s fishing industry which is openly
trade newspaper, Nippon Suisan aims to build and actively pro-whaling.67 Naoya Kakizoe,
its supply chain with Chuo Gyorui and scale up CEO of Nippon Suisan, and Yuji Igarashi, CEO
its distribution system.61 of Maruha, serve as vice-chairmen of the JFA.
JFA members include a large number of
Shipping documents have also recently
whaling related personnel, including: Minoru
revealed that Maruha continues to play a
Morimoto (Director, ICR); Tajiro Tsurumoto,
central role in Japan’s whale hunt. Maruha
Kazuo Yamamura and Hirofumi Nakayama
is the group owner of the Oriental Bluebird
from Kyodo Senpaku; and Keiichi Nakajima,
tanker, which is used by the Kyodo Senpaku Chairman of Japan Whaling Association. The
fleet to transport whale meat from the Southern Senior Executive Managing Director of JFA,
Ocean back to Japan. The Oriental Bluebird also Eiji Ishihara, is also a Director of the ICR
refuels and resupplies the Kyodo Senpaku fleet. and of Kyodo Senpaku. The ICR and Japan
Without the Maruha-owned vessel, the Nisshin Whaling Association are also listed under
Maru factory ship would be unable to store ‘related organisations’ on JFA’s website.68
the thousands of tonnes of whale meat being
produced from the recently expanded hunt.62 The three companies are also corporate
members of the Global Guardian Trust, a
Canned sales continue pro-whaling non-governmental organisation
that regularly attends the IWC to lobby in
In addition to its continued role as a whale favour of commercial whaling. Chairman
meat seller, Maruha has direct ties to the of the Board, Kunio Yonezawa, is a former
distribution of whale products through Nichiro Deputy Director General of the Fisheries
Corporation, with which it has recently merged Agency, an ex vice-president of Nippon
to form Maruha Nichiro Holdings Inc.63 Nichiro Suisan and a former IWC Commissioner for
ABOVE: (Top to bottom) produces canned whale meat products, under Japan. Yonezawa is a prominent pro-whaling
their hallmark Akebono brand. According to advocate, holding a handful of director
Maruha-owned Oriental Bluebird EIA’s extensive retail surveys over the last six positions in whaling related organizations
offloading whale meat from the Nisshin years, Nichiro canned whale meat sells in major and serving as official media spokesperson
Maru factory ship.
retail outlets across Japan, including Kasumi, for the Japanese delegation at IWC meetings.
Kyokuyo cans on sale in Familymart store. Posful, Daiei, Seibu and Sogo stores in at least In 2006, the Global Guardian Trust
The receipt shows the date of purchase, 13 prefectures of Japan.64 Nichiro canned whale membership included Maruha, Nippon Suisan,
10th November 2007. meat is also available online.65 Kyokuyo, Nichiro as corporate members,
Bottom: Nichiro canned whale meat along with a long list of whaling companies
In November 2007, Kyokuyo whale meat cans and Japan’s Whaling Association.69
All Photography unless otherwise credited on were documented in five out of 12 Familymart
p.7-8 © Clare Perry / EIA/ WSPA stores visited in the Kyushu area. As of
8
 Multinational companies
international accountability
Gorton’s Inc. is the top manufacturer of frozen
marine foods for household use in North America.
Gorton’s frozen battered shrimp, fish sticks and
other ready-to-eat foods are sold in grocery stores
across the U.S. and Canada. In 2007, Nippon
Suisan USA reported revenues of $151 million.74
Sealord Group Ltd. is one of Nippon Suisan’s most
© Fionnuala Walravens / EIA

important business partners, with Nippon Suisan

holding a 50% share in the New Zealand based
group. Sealord is the largest fishery company in
New Zealand with processing bases in multiple
countries and a global marketing network.75
In June 2007, then Chief Executive Doug McKay
reported that Sealord was on track to making

© Fionnuala Walravens / EIA

$1 billion in revenue, attributing this success to
overseas growth and joint ventures.76
In Europe, Nippon Suisan operates through a
holding company, Nippon Suisan Europe B.V., based
© Caroline Pott / EIA

in The Netherlands. In partnership with Sealord,

Nippon Suisan is developing sales of Nippon Suisan
Europe through J.P. Klausen & Co. A/S in Denmark
and through Europacifico Alimentos Del Mar SL
in Spain and Portugal.77 Founded in New Zealand
in 1990, J.P. Klausen is a major seafood importer
ABOVE: As multinational companies with growing and supplier in Denmark and the European
dependence on access to foreign markets, Union, recording over 56 million ($70 million)
Sealord products in sales as of 2004. J.P. Klausen supplies some of
on sale in the U.K. and U.S. Nippon Suisan, Kyokuyo and Maruha
increasingly answer to their international Europe’s leading seafood buyers, including Nestlé,
consumers and have a responsibility to uphold Unilever, Heinz and Espersen (which supplies all
international environmental laws. In the very McDonald’s restaurants in Europe 78), Deutsche
profitable high end markets of the U.S. and See, Pickenpack Hussmann & Hahn and Frosta.79
Europe, where they are experiencing some Nippon Suisan also extended its reach into Great
of their most rapid expansion, their customers Britain in 1996 through Sealord Caistor Ltd, the
are likely to have strong feelings about the U.K. arm of Sealord which has its manufacturing
three companies’ continued support of base in Caistor, Lincolnshire. Sealord Caistor
commercial whaling. supplies all of Waitrose’s white fish, helping the
supermarket to win the 2007 Seafood Retailer of
Nippon Suisan the Year Award. Sealord Caistor began processing
at a new £3.2 million ($6.4 million) plant in January
The Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. corporate 2007, and will supply a new line of breaded fish
group includes 70 subsidiaries and 27 affiliate fillets to Waitrose.80
companies engaged in marine products, foods,
general distribution and the fine chemicals Caistor’s sales have increased from £9 million
business.70 In 2007, overseas sales amounted to ($12.6 million) in the 2000 to 2001 financial year to
over ¥190 billion (approximately $1.8 billion), a projected £35 million ($70 million) in 2006–2007.
almost 30% of total sales.71 Caistor plans to further expand its range to include
new chilled coated lines and frozen meals.81
In 2001 Nippon Suisan established a ‘Toward
Global Links’ plan to increase its market In 2006, Nippon Suisan and Sealord acquired
share and access to fishing rights through the 35% each of Nordic Seafood A/S (Denmark) to
acquisition and establishment of subsidiaries boost sales in the food service and supermarket
in foreign countries.72 Nippon Suisan recently retail sectors, providing access to operations
established a global marketing office and aims to in 15 European countries including Germany,
become a “true global leader in the fields creating Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, Russia and
customer-oriented value from marine resources.”73 Poland. The addition of Nordic Seafood, which
has offices in the U.K., France, Germany and
Through its U.S. subsidiary, Nippon Suisan (USA) many other European countries, makes Nippon
Inc., Nippon Suisan wholly owns F.W. Bryce, Suisan a major player in the European food
UniSea, King & Prince Seafood Corporation service market.82
and Gorton’s of Gloucester. Nippon Suisan also
owns Bluewater Seafoods, one of the largest fish In October 2007, Nippon Suisan acquired 59% of
retailers in Canada, through its U.S. subsidiary. the shares of Cité Marine SAS for an estimated €

9
 16.8 million ($24.9 million). Cité Marine
is a French company engaged in the production
and sale of frozen and chilled seafood and other
foods for the domestic market and has been a
business partner of the Nippon Suisan Group
for many years. With the addition of Cité Marine,
Nippon Suisan expects Group sales in Europe
to reach 312 million ($463 million), including
the combined sales of seafood distributors
Nordic Seafood A/S and Europacifico Alimentos
del Mar, S.L.83
Nippon Suisan also controls businesses in South
America (Salmones Antarctic S.A., Nippon
Suisan America Latina S.A., Friosur, EMDEPES,
Nordsee, PESPASA and PESANTAR); China,

© Clare Perry / EIA

Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and
Singapore.84

group companies, 94
of them overseas, and is
aiming to acquire two to three
additional overseas acquisitions in
Europe or the U.S. by 2011.86
ABOVE:
The new company is headed up by Yuji Igarashi,
former CEO of Maruha Group Inc., with former Nippon Suisan companies JP
Nichiro CEO Tatsuhiko Tanaka as chairman. Klausen and Europacific display at
According to Igarashi, “increasing overseas sales is the Brussels Seafood Symposium,
2006.
something we really have to count on.” The company
will continue to market products under the
Maruha and Akebono (Nichiro) brands.87
The merger brings together some of North
America’s largest seafood suppliers, including
© Allan Thornton / EIA

Westward Seafoods, Supreme Alaska Seafoods,

Alyeska Seafoods, Prime Pacific Seafoods, Peter
Pan Seafoods, Golden Alaska Seafoods, Orca Bay
Seafoods and Trans-Ocean Products.88
Trans-Ocean Products, Inc. is located in
Washington State in the U.S. and produces
America’s number one brand of surimi (processed
fish paste). Trans-Ocean’s products including Crab
Classic and Lobster Classic are found in many
supermarkets and other retailers in the U.S., such
as Wal-Mart, Costco, Aldi, Safeway and Giant.89
Trans-Ocean reports that its Crab Classic brand of
surimi products holds a 33% market share of the
© Mia Strickland / EIA

U.S. retail market in this seafood category.90

Peter Pan Seafoods sells canned, frozen and fresh
salmon, crab, halibut, cod and Pollock under
a variety of brand names including ‘Demings’,
‘Double Q’, ‘Gill-netter’s Best’, ‘Humpty
Dumpty’, ‘Peter Pan’, ‘SeaBlends’, ‘SeaKist’ and
‘Unica’. With sales in the region of $225 million
annually, the company recently started to produce
Nippon Suisan’s Environmental Policy states: “We and sell sockeye salmon roe for sushi and has plans
will … strictly enforce compliance with environment- to increase its U.S. and European market share.91
related laws, regulations, etc.” 85 Kingfisher Holdings Ltd. is one of Maruha’s most
important overseas production sites. With sales of
Maruha – Nichiro Holdings nearly ¥18.9 billion ($162.5 million), Kingfisher
In October 2007, Maruha Group Inc. merged Holdings supplies frozen and canned seafood
with smaller rival Nichiro Corp. to form the products to the world.92 Its New Zealand based
world’s largest seafood company, Maruha Nichiro subsidiary, Kingfisher Products Ltd exports
Holdings. The $8 billion seafood giant has 204 New Zealand seafood around the world and imports
10
 © Clare Perry / EIA / WSPA
ABOVE: products from its parent company into New Zealand. In 2006, Kyokuyo teamed up with True World
Kingfisher products are found in local PakNSave Foods, Inc., the self-described ‘premier’ seafood
Kyodo Senpaku whaling fleet set
sail to hunt endangered fin whales and New World supermarkets in New Zealand.93 and sushi distributor in the U.S., to market ‘Polar
in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary, Seas Frozen Sushi’ across the U.S.100 True World
November 2007. Kyokuyo Food representatives told EIA that the product
Kyokuyo Co Ltd. is Japan’s third largest seafood has already been placed in around 300 Food
company with net sales in the region of ¥157 Lion stores and that they were in discussion
billion ($1.5 billion). It has evolved from a with retailers such as Costco and Sam’s Club.
company based on whaling and fishing to a global Kyokuyo (through K&U) also sells frozen sushi to
food company dealing in marine products and Canadian supermarket Loblaws.101
food processing.94 Kyokuyo’s Environmental Policy states:
Strengthening overseas operations is Kyokuyo’s “Kyokuyo will strictly observe the laws and
number one priority. Celebrating its 70th regulations applied to business activities, such as
anniversary in September 2007, Kiyokazu Fukui, the food sanitation law and any other regulations for
CEO of Kyokuyo stated “We will enforce more conservation of the environment.”102
businesses globally, along with strong stress on
ingenuity, such as the development of promotions of
higher values. And that’s our future”.95
In May 2005, Kyokuyo established a joint
venture, K&U Enterprise, with Thai fishing
company “The Union Frozen Products”. The plant
produces frozen sushi and sushi topping materials
for the European and North American markets,
as well as Japan. By 2010, Kyokuyo expects
an output of 4,000 tonnes of products, worth 5
billion yen ($47 million).96
According to K&U President Tetsuo Matsumoto,
interviewed in December 2007 by the Suisan
Times: “Our main target is Germany, where demand
is constantly increasing. If business there becomes
© Danielle Grabiel / EIA

active, we can automatically explore neighboring

countries, such as Austria, Belgium and Switzerland.
Kyokuyo’s newly opened office in Amsterdam will
enable us to open up new business opportunities. We
are working on developing new sushi items using
tomato and cheese to draw new customers.”97
Kyokuyo has six international representative
offices, including Kyokuyo America Corporation
based in Seattle.98 In 2006, a Kyokuyo Europe
representative office was established in The
Netherlands with the intent to develop sales in
Europe and Russia. Kyokuyo Europe B.V. is a
sales and marketing company, which aims to sell
Kyokuyo’s products, including K&U’s processed
frozen sushi products, to retailers across Europe.
Major sales are planned for 2008 onwards.99
11
International Legal
Protection for Whales

© Claire Bass
Japan’s whaling is a deliberate circumvention of the registered a reservation to the Appendix I listings
moratorium on commercial whaling and the original of several whale species, it has not listed such
intent of Article VIII of the ICRW, which was to a reservation for North Pacific sei or humpback
allow the killing of just a few whales for natural whales. Japan’s annual North Pacific hunt of
history studies.103 IWC Resolutions have repeatedly up to 100 sei whales is therefore an open and
stated that Article VIII catches are not intended to recurring breach of CITES regulations and should
sustain commercial trade in whale products.104 be challenged by the Parties to CITES. Any future
Japan and the Kyodo Senpaku whaling fleet catches of humpback whales would also be an
also ignore the legal provisions created by infraction under CITES, and open to trade sanctions
the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary and the from CITES Parties.108
Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species (CITES), as well as the repeated Australian Court
recommendations of the IWC. Orders Immediate Halt to
The Global Ban on Japanese Whaling
Commercial Whaling In January 2008, the Federal Court of Australia
issued a landmark ruling that Kyodo Senpaku’s
During the 20th century, the commercial whaling whaling in the Antarctic is illegal, in response to a
industry decimated whale populations around the Federal Court Action brought by Humane Society
globe. In an attempt to control and manage the International (HSI). In a judgment handed down
whaling industry, the ICRW was agreed in 1946 and on 15th January 2008, His Honour Justice Allsop
the IWC was established. The Convention was signed declared that Kyodo Senpaku was in breach of
and ratified by all the major whaling nations. 105 Australian law by whaling in the Australian
However, repeated attempts by the IWC to control Whale Sanctuary and granted HSI an injunction to
commercial hunting through quota and size restrain Kyodo Senpaku from further whaling in
restrictions failed, and by the 1970s most species Australian waters.109
of great whale had been catastrophically depleted. The court ruling orders Kyodo Senpaku to be
In 1982, the IWC agreed to a moratorium on all restrained from killing, injuring, taking or interfering
commercial whaling to take effect in 1986, setting with any Antarctic minke, fin whale or humpback
zero catch quotas for all the great whales listed whales in the Australian Whale Sanctuary.
under the ICRW. Since then, the member nations of Kyodo Senpaku refused to accept delivery of
the IWC have passed at least 20 resolutions directly the injunction. According to HSI, officials at the
calling on Japan to reconsider its Antarctic and Tokyo headquarters of Kyodo Senpaku told their
North Pacific whale hunts.106 interpreter that the court documents would be
“thrown away immediately”.110
The Endangered
Species Convention
All the great whale species are listed on
Appendix I of CITES with the effect that
international commercial trade is banned for
those species. Under CITES regulations, Japan’s
Southern Ocean and offshore North Pacific hunts
are defined as international trade, since the whale
products do not primarily originate from Japan’s
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), but from high seas
outside national sovereignty.107 Although Japan has

12
 CONCLUSIONS
Three companies have the influence and the responsibility to end
Japan’s large scale commercial whaling in the Antarctic and
North Pacific - Nippon Suisan, Maruha and Kyokuyo.
These companies have large global constituencies that are
overwhelmingly in favour of protecting whales and against killing
whales. Their profits and future growth are increasingly dependent
on European and North American markets. Nippon Suisan, Maruha
and Kyokuyo have already proved to be susceptible to international
consumer pressure, when they divested their shares in the Kyodo
Senpaku whaling fleet and undertook to stop the production of
canned whale products.
International consumer pressure can prevail where international
diplomacy has failed.
EIA is appealing to everyone who wishes to stop Japan’s whale
hunting to contact the foreign subsidiaries or Tokyo headquarters
of Nippon Suisan, Maruha and Kyokuyo to demand they take all
measures to ensure the permanent closure of the Kyodo Senpaku
whaling fleet and an end to Japan’s whale hunting.

© Clare Perry / EIA / WSPA

13
If you want to stop Japan’s whaling, ask the companies that can make a difference:
Nippon Sealord (Caistor) Ltd
Unit 6,
Russell S. Mentzer, CEO
King & Prince Seafood Corp.
South America Thailand
Kingfisher Holdings
Suisan North Kelsey Road Industrial Estate
Market Rasen, Lincolnshire
1 King & Prince Blvd
Brunswick, GA
Sociedad Pesquera Taiyo Chile Ltda.
Estado 337, Oficina 620 1261 Vicheanchodoc Road
LN7 6PX, U.K. Santiago, Chile Tambol Mahachai
31520-8603, U.S.A
Amphur Muang
Japan Tel: +44 (0)1472 852782 Tel: +1 912 265 5155 Tel: +56 2 6335308
Samutsakorn 74000
Fax: +44 (0)1472 852783 Fax: +1 912 264 4812 Fax: +56 2 639 8565
Headquarters Email: info@sealord.co.nz Web: www.kpseafood.com
Thailand
Web: www.sealord.co.nz Tel: +66 3482 0642

Naoya Kakizoe
Jeff Hendricks, General Manager
New Zealand Fax: +66 3442 5172
President & CEO, Email: khl@kingfisher.co.th
Nippon Suisan Kaisha Ltd France Alaska Ocean Seafood LP Maruha (N.Z.) Corporation Ltd
P.O. Box 2227
Web: www.kingfisher.co.th
Nippon Bldg. 2415 T Avenue Anacortes
2-6-2 Otemachi Sealord (Nordic Seafood France S.A.S.) WA. 98221 U.S.A. Level 13 Affco House
Chiyoda-Ku Residence La Mer
2 Rue St Louis
Tel: +1 360 293 4677 12-26 Swanson Street
Auckland, New Zealand
Kyokuyo
Tokyo Fax: +1 360 293 6759
100-8686 Japan 62520 Le Touquet Email: jeff@aocean.com Tel: +64 9 985 4646
Tel: +81 (0)3 3244 4357 Paris-Plage France Web: www.alaskaoceanseafood.com Fax: +64 9 985 4649 Japan
Tel: +33 (0) 32105 0391
Email: ir@Nippon Suisan.co.jp
Web: www.Nippon Suisan.co.jp/english/ Fax: +33 (0) 32105 8538

Kingfisher Products Ltd
Headquarters
Keith Moores, President
top.html Email: fr@nordicseafood.com Po Box 105 KiyokaZu Fukui,
F.W. Bryce, Inc.
Web: www.nordicseafood.com 150, Auckland Central President Kyokuyo Co. Ltd.
8 Pond Road
 Level 13, Affco House Kokusai Sanno Bldg. 3-5
Germany Daniel Gallou, President
Gloucester Ma. 01930-1833 U.S.A.
Tel: +1 978 283 7080 12-26 Swanson St. 3-Chome
Franz Johann König and Kurt Unger Cité Marine Auckland, New Zealand Akasaka, Minato-Ku
Fax: +1 978 283 7647
Carrefour Industriel Du Porzo Tel: +64 9 486 0582 Tokyo 107-0052
Managing Directors Email: keithmoores@fwbryce.com
56700 Kervignac Web: www.fwbryce.com Fax: +64 9 489 9671 Tel: +81 (3)5545-0701
Nordic Meeresfrüchte Gmbh
France Email: sales@kingfisher.co.nz Fax: +81 (3)5545-0751
Deininger Weg 94
D-92318 Neumarkt Tel: +33 029 785 1919 Web: www.kingfisher.co.nz
Phone: +49 9181 905081 Fax: + 33 029 785 1920 South America Netherlands
Fax: +49 9181 20325 Nippon Suisan America Latina, S.A.
U.S. Mr. Taguchi Toshihiko
Email: nm@nordicseafood.com
New Zealand Avenida Providencia 2633
Rick Dutton Kyokuyo Amsterdam Office
Piso 15 No. 1502 Edificio Forum
Graham Stuart, Santiago, Chile Trans Ocean Products Inc. Tower-F,4th Floor
The Netherlands Chief Executive Officer Tel: +56 2 353 0100 350 West Orchard Dr. Wtc Schiphol Airport
B.V. Yasu Ishikawa Sealord Group Ltd Bellingham, Washington 98225 Schiphol Boulevard 193
Po Box 11, Nelson U.S.A. 1118bg Luchthaven Schiphol
Managing Director Explotacion Pesquera
New Zealand Tel: +1 360-671-6886 The Netherlands
Nippon Suisan (Europe) De La Patagonia, S.A. (Pespasa) /
Tel: +64 3 548 3069 Tel: +1 360-671-0354 Tel: +31 20 405 9060
Van Der Hooplaan 241 Empresa Pesquera De La Patagonia Y
Email: Info@Sealord.Co.Nz Email: rick@trans-ocean.com  Fax: +31 20 653 3499
1185LN, Amstelveen, Antartida S.A. (Pesantar)
Web: www.trans-ocean.com Email: info@kyokuyo-eu.com
The Netherlands Web: Www.Sealord.Co.Nz Carlos Pellegrini 1363, Piso-7(1011),
Web: www.kyokuyo-eu.com
Tel: +31 20 426 3800 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Tel: +54-11-4325-9553 Greg Baker
Australia  Westward Seafoods Inc. U.S.
Spain Sealord Australia Pty Ltd Friosur S.A 2101 4th Ave., Ste. 1700
Seattle, Wa 98121 Kyokuyo AmerIca Corporation
David Ellis, General Manager Level 3, 170 Pacific Highway St. José María Caro 300
Leonards U.S.A. 1200 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1301 Seattle,
Europacifico Puerto Chacabuco
2065 NSW Tel: +1 206 682 5949 Wa 98101-3148, U.S.A.
Alimentos Del Mar S.L. Chile
New South Wales Fax: +1 206 682 1825 Tel: +1 206 405 2670
Pol. Ind. Ugaldeguren-I Tel: +56 67 351500
Australia Web: www.westwardseafoods.com Email: admin@kyokuyoamerica.com
Pabellon P-6-Ii Fax: +56 67 351184
Tel: +61 2 9437 4443 Web: www.kyokuyoamerica.com 
48160 Derio-Bizkaia Email: sales@friosur.cl
Spain Fax: +61 2 9437 4733 Web: www.friosur.cl Barry D. Collier, President And CEO
Tel: +34 944 544680 Web: www.sealord.co.nz Peter Pan Seafoods Takeshi Yashiro, CEO
True World Foods
Fax: +34 944 544721
Email: david@europacifico.net
North America
Maruha 2200 6th Ave.
Seattle, WA 98121-1820 U.S.A. 32-34 Papetti Plaza,
Web: www.europacifico.net Tel: +1 206 728 6000 Elizabeth, New Jersey 07207, U.S.A.
Tel: +1 908 351 1400
Nippon Suisan (U.S.A.) Inc.
15400 N.E. 90th Street
Japan Fax: +1 206 441 9090
Email: sales@ppsf.com Fax: +1 908 351 8465
Denmark P.O. Box 97019 Headquarters Web: www.ppsf.com Email: info@trueworldfoods.com
Alex Lynnerup Jensen, Redmond, W.A. Web: www.trueworldfoods.com
Yuji Igarashi, President
Managing Director 98073-9719 U.S.A. Joseph Fleming
Maruha Nichiro Holdings, Inc.
Nordic Seafood A/S Tel: +1 425 869 1703 Golden Alaska Seafoods, Llc.
1-2, 1-Chome
Søren Nordbysvej 15 2200 Sixth Avenue
Otemachi, Chiyoda-Ku
DK-9850 Steve Warhover, CEO Suite 707
Tokyo 100-0004 Japan
Hirtshals, Denmark Gorton’s Inc. Seattle, WA 98121 U.S.A.
Tel: +81 03 3216 0821
Tel: +45 9894 1533 128 Rogers Street Tel: +1 206 441 1990
Fax: +81 03 3261 0342
Fax: +45 9894 5233 Gloucester, M.A. Fax: +1 206 441 8112
Email: alex.jensen@nordicseafood.com Email: koho@maruha.co.jp
01930-5097, U.S.A. Email: info@goldenalaska.com
Web: www.nordicseafood.com Web: www.maruha-nichiro.co.jp/english Web: www.goldenalaska.com
Tel: +1 978 283 3000
Fax: +1 987 281 8295
Jens Peter Klausen,
Managing Director
Email: info@gortons.com Netherlands Ryan Mackey
Web: www.gortons.com President And CEO
Jp Klausen & Co A/S Erica Pool, Marketing & Sales Orca Bay Seafoods
Ostre Havnevej 16 Coordinator Po Box 9010
Terry Shaff, President And CEO
5700 Svendborg Trans-Europe Seafood Sales B.V. Renton, Wa 98057-9010 U.S.A.
Unisea, Inc.
Denmark Strawinskylaan 441 Tel: +1 425 204 9100
15400 N.E. 90th Street,
Tel: +45 6222 2843 1077xx Amsterdam Fax: +1 425 204 9200
P.O. Box 97019
Fax: +45 6222 8632 Tel: +31 (0)20 575 2230 Email: info@orcabayfoods.com
Redmond, Wa.
Email: jp@jpkfisk.dk Fax: +31 (0)20 575 2233 Web: www.orcabayfoods.com
98073-9719 U.S.A.
Web: www.jpklausen.com Email: tess@tess-bv.com
Tel: +1 425 881-8181
Web: www.tess.bv.com William M. Weisfield 
Fax: +1 425 861-5249
U.K. Email: terry.shaff@unisea.com Alyeska Seafoods Inc.

Tommy Schneider
Web: www.unisea.com U.K. 303 N.E. Northlake Way,
 Seattle, Washington 98105 U.S.A.
General Manager Joe Giannetti, President Hiroyuki Sato Tel: +1 206 547 2100
Nordic Seafood Uk Ltd. Bluewater Seafoods Inc. Nichiro UK Fax: +1 206 547 1808
4a Thames Street 1640 Brandon Crescent Lachine 9 Cambridge Court,
Louth, Lincolnshire Quebec H8T 2N1 210 Shepherd’s Bush Rd.
Joe Bersch
LN11 7AD, U.K. Canada London W6 7NJ U.K.
Supreme Alaska Seafoods Inc.
Tel: +44 (0)1507 600 757 Tel. +1 514 637 1171 Tel: +44 (0)20 7603 3398
4225 23rd Ave., W. # 104
Fax: +44 (0)1507 600 737 Fax: +1 514 637 9250 Fax: +44 (0)20 7603 3397
Seattle, Washington 98199 U.S.A.
Email: uk@nordicseafood.com Email: info@bluewater.ca Tel: +1 206 281 8311
Web: www.nordicseafood.com Web: www.bluewaterfish.com Fax: +1 206 281 8481


14
 REFERENCES
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International Whaling Commission www.trueworldfoods.com kaiin.pdf www.maruha-nichiro.co.jp/english/corporate/
24. Ibid., Ref 22. accessed 24 Feb 2008. cop08000.html
www.iwcoffice.org/_documents/table_permit. 50. Kyokuyo statement on website
htm 25. Ibid., Ref 7. 69. GGT Board of Directors accessed 25th Feb, 2008
April 16, 2007,
accessed 25 Feb 2008 26. Maruha Group website company history. www.kyokuyoamerica.com, www.maff.go.jp/koueki/itiran/kanbou/ 89. TransOcean website
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files/18_meibo.pdf
to the IWC Scientific Committee, except www.answers.com/topic/maruha-group- Ocean-to-close-Oregon-surimi-plant.aspx
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Sales in Japan (Update1) By Stuart Biggs, 70. www.Nippon Suisan.co.jp/english/news/ 91. Peter Pan Seafoods website
minke whales which is not carried out by 28. Ibid., Ref 7. www.ppsf.com/about/company_info.aspx
Kyodo Senpaku. May 30th 2007. 071219_Nippon Suisan-TSE.pdf
29. Confidential corporate report on www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101& accessed 20 Feb 2008 accessed 21 Feb 08
3. P21-24 of Chairman’s report of the 46th Taiyo A&F. sid=aPhG1CfyPue0&refer=japan 92. Maruha Group Mid-Term
annual meeting of the IWC accessed 19 Feb 08. 71. Nippon Suisan 2007 annual report, p.9
30. Ibid., Ref 26. www.Nippon Suisan.co.jp/ir/download/ Management Plan
4. Ibid., Ref 1. 53. Letter to EIA from David Weber, Vice annual/2007_en/annual_report_2007.pdf www.maruha.co.jp/english/ir/pdf/
31. Ibid., Ref 29. President, Gorton,s, 27 Nov 2007. newwave21total.pdf
5. Document SC/57/O1 72. Summary of Financial Statements for the accessed 25th Feb 2008
(Government of Japan) presented to the 32. Schedule to the International Convention 54. Pers. Comm. with Daito Gyorui,
for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW), Year end March 31, 2006.
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