Six years of collaboration between the Japan Consumers' Co-op Union and WWF: Behind the Scenes of Indonesia's Certification (Part 2)
2025
![[2025 New Year's Discussion] Human rights issues to consider with the ILO: Approaches to supply chains that only companies can take (Part 2)](https://times.seafoodlegacy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/EN-_newyear_2--1024x606.jpg)
While efforts to address human rights issues in the seafood industry need to harmonize with global standards, Japan also needs to find solutions to issues unique to the industry. In particular, Japan, a major seafood importing country, is expected to ensure transparency throughout the supply chain and contribute to improvements by leveraging its market power.
Part 1Ryusuke Tanaka* from the ILO and Kazuo Hanaoka from Seafood Legacy Co., Ltd. discussed the current state of human rights issues in the seafood industry in Part 2. In Part 2030, they deepened their discussion on specific approaches to mainstreaming sustainable seafood and the outlook for XNUMX, from using technology to convey the voices of workers to the role of financial institutions and dialogue with consumers. They explored the path to realizing a sustainable seafood industry.
Tanaka:At TSSS2024, the development of Wi-Fi on ships* was also a hot topic. I had previously heard this story from an NGO, and it was very refreshing to hear. I had expected to be asked to meet with them and to be harshly criticized about the effectiveness of ILO conventions and corporate crackdowns, but to my surprise, their top priority was simply "on-ship Wi-Fi."
Hanaoka:It's surprising that Wi-Fi on board is a top priority.
Tanaka:Even if you dig deep into the supply chain, you can only find a small amount of information, and because ships and workers change frequently, it is said to be particularly difficult to grasp the actual situation of workers in the fishing industry.Grievance(A redress system for human rights violations). I was immediately convinced by the explanation that Wi-Fi on the ship is necessary for workers to speak out directly and receive redress.
Hanaoka:It would be great if Japanese fisheries companies and supplier companies could also proactively use on-board Wi-Fi in their supply chains to spread the word that they are putting grievances into practice.
Tanaka:That's right. Also, improving the communication environment will improve the quality of life for workers. The hardest thing for offshore workers is not being able to see their families, so even being able to make video calls via Wi-Fi is a great emotional support.
Hanaoka:Recently, the financial industry has also been making more efforts to address this issue. Until three or four years ago, there was talk of the risks of investing in and lending to the fishing industry, which is at risk of human rights violations and is depleting fishing resources, leading to a decline in the industry. But things have changed dramatically.
Tanaka:Contributions to sustainable finance have increased dramatically over the past seven to eight years, and the number of institutions that have signed the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) has exceeded 7. People in the industry tell me that long-term investments have a high share in the financial investment market, and that in long-term investments that look 8 or 5000 years into the future, such as pension management, when considering whether a company will continue to exist, its efforts to address environmental and social issues are an important factor in investment decisions. This is because society is changing rapidly, and companies that cannot flexibly identify and adapt to social issues are not expected to survive. It is only natural that companies whose survival is in doubt are unlikely to be selected as long-term investment targets.
Hanaoka:Over the past three years, we have seen in the seafood industry that pressure from the financial industry has led companies to strengthen their sustainability efforts.
Hanaoka:The final point in the supply chain is the consumer. Fish is considered something that can be eaten as a matter of course, and the reality is that many consumers are still not very aware of issues such as sustainability and human rights violations in the seafood industry. Seafood Legacy does not directly appeal to consumers, but we do help companies that do B2C business communicate with consumers. From the ILO's perspective, how do you approach consumers?
Tanaka:That's an interesting question. It's a difficult one. I think it will be difficult for businesses to move forward unless consumers change their mindset. It is the DNA of a company to deliver what consumers want with limited resources. So, although we would like consumers to change, there are differences in purchasing power, and while there are some groups that want to buy sustainable products, there are many groups that do not, and all of them are consumers.
I think the important thing is whether consumers have choices. To that end, one way to approach consumers is to disclose information about whether the price they pay for a product is being used not only for material value, but also for activities that create social value.
Hanaoka:That also links to the issue of transparency. In the first place, Seafood Legacy aims for a society where consumers don't have to worry about whether the fish they pick up as a matter of course is sustainable or not, in terms of consumption. To achieve this, consumer awareness is important, but it is also important that the market is like that, which is why we have taken the approach of raising consumer awareness by changing the business, rather than appealing to consumers directly.
Hanaoka: The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) has come into force in the EU. Some companies in the seafood industry are formulating human rights policies and beginning to undertake human rights due diligence. What do you think about this recent global movement, Mr. Tanaka?
Tanaka:The trend towards legislation and mandates has been pointed out as a "wave" in the UN report, and it is said that it will not disappear easily. Furthermore, human rights due diligence not only covers forced labor and child labor, but also new themes such as living wages, reproductive health*, and even AI and human rights. It is necessary for compliance to continue to respond to these increasing demands, but I think it is necessary to identify the essence of why the big wave is coming, which is at the source of the wave.
What is particularly important for companies is accountability. Rather than simply disclosing information, it is important to understand what is happening throughout the supply chain and explain that the root causes are being addressed appropriately. This is an effort that leads to improving corporate value by meeting society's expectations. I think that explaining what issues you recognize and how you are dealing with them is the basis of the Human Rights Due Diligence Act, the CSDDD, and other trade measures.
Hanaoka:Will this trend towards making it mandatory happen in Japan as well?
Tanaka:I think that in the long run, this will definitely happen. This is because, as has been the case up until now, when social demands increase, legal mechanisms are put in place to keep up with them. Regardless of the size of the company, the economy is globally connected, so I think this big wave will also hit Japan.
Hanaoka:TSSS2024 sets a goal of "making sustainable seafood mainstream" by 2030.
This sustainable seafood not only considers the environment, but also human rights and social aspects. As I mentioned earlier, mainstreaming means that the products that consumers normally buy are good for the environment and society, without them having to think about whether they are certified or not. What do you think is necessary to make this a reality?
Tanaka:This is the most difficult question. I think there are many factors that prevent mainstreaming, so it's hard to come up with an answer.
One is,IUU (illegal, unregulated, unreported) fishingWe hear from many people that fish caught through IUU fishing are being sold cheaply in stores, which is discouraging people who are working hard, so I think that tightening regulations is absolutely necessary for "mainstreaming."
On the other hand, there are also very unstable markets where there are no formal contracts, where people can only earn a wage barely enough to maintain a minimum standard of living, and where there is no protection from the government. If we completely eliminate such informal economies, local people will not be able to survive. It will also create people who are forced to fall into a more opaque and underground world where relief is out of reach in order to survive. Of course, we should aim to eradicate IUU fishing, but in the process, we must prevent the loss of the livelihoods of people suffering from poverty and the loss of decent jobs worldwide, which is something that the ILO must prevent.
Hanaoka:surely.
Tanaka:That is why I think it is important for governments to step up and formalize the informal economy. I also think it is important to grow the industry while adding value to it. It is difficult to do this with seafood, and that is my concern.
Hanaoka:For example, there is a livelihood in Indonesia where people set out on a small boat from a place that is not even a pier, just a thin wooden board, deep in the jungle, and catch, sell, and eat fish that have not even been assessed for their resources. There are no rules or management in such places to begin with. I think it is important to think about how to manage and preserve such livelihoods.
If we follow the Western model of resource management, we will leave only large-scale fishing and eliminate fishing that cannot be managed, but I don't want to do that. Until now, the sustainable seafood movement has been something that Japan has had to follow in the footsteps of the West.
What does Japan want to do over the next 10 years? What do we want Japan to do? Ultimately, we need to think about how to manage small-scale coastal fisheries in a way that makes them sustainable. We would like to create a model for this and offer it to Asian countries in similar situations. This would then serve as a catalyst for creating a truly sustainable society with managed small-scale coastal fisheries, and we would like to achieve this by 2030.
Tanaka:I think that's wonderful. That's why we need to improve the surrounding environment. For example, microfinance (small-scale lending). This is access to finance so that small-scale fishermen can borrow money even without a large amount of capital. And we need to improve the market environment. It is also necessary for the government to thoroughly check food hygiene, prevent overfishing, and provide support for market development and business matching, and I think that development cooperation is quite powerful in this regard. JICA and others are also working on a similar concept, so I would like to see more attention being shed on it.
Hanaoka:I think the key here is transparency. It's not a "zero or one" question of whether you can get certification or not, but rather how to make this process transparent, increase the number of fans of your efforts, and expand your market.
Tanaka:I think that taking videos, for example, is an effective way to increase the number of fans. Going back to the topic of consumer appeal, for example, the name "vannamei shrimp" from the Philippines is well known, but it is difficult to convey in writing what kind of people work in the areas where it is cultivated and what kind of challenges they face, so I think that conveying the "voice of the producers" through video and audio will have a gradual effect.
Hanaoka:We are now in 2025, with just under five years to go until the achievement of the SDGs. Do you have a message for our readers on how to achieve this?
Tanaka:The SDGs are goals that were agreed upon in 2015, and let me quote a phrase from their preamble that struck me.
"We could be the first generation to succeed in ending poverty. We could also be the last generation that has the chance to save the planet."
There is a time limit for our efforts to be successful. If we postpone until tomorrow the efforts that should be made today, the disparity will widen, the number of victims will increase, and the structure will become more solid. As we approach 2030, the Earth has already passed a crossroads. It is now 2025, and we have reached a point where if we delay even one more step, there will be no turning back. We in 2015 are speaking to us today in order to make the Earth sustainable by 2030. These words carry weight.
Hanaoka:Those are very meaningful words. Finally, Mr. Tanaka, do you have any personal goals for this year?
Tanaka:I want to go and meet as many people as possible. International organization staff have access to international political arenas, which is why I wanted to work at the ILO. I want to meet as many people as I can in my current position, and share with you all the various requests and ideas I get from them.
Hanaoka:I have three goals for the New Year. The first is to use Japan's market transformation as a driving force for further policy shifts. The second is to establish a sustainable system for small-scale coastal fisheries together with stakeholders. The third is to share these initiatives in Japan with the rest of East Asia and Southeast Asia. All of these are big challenges, but I believe we can achieve them by sharing our vision with many like-minded people and stakeholders. I want to keep moving forward, always keeping in mind the excitement of building a bright future with my colleagues.
Thank you very much for today. Let's continue to promote sustainable seafood in our own ways in 2025!
Ryusuke Tanaka
Born in Hyogo Prefecture. Graduated from Keio University. LL.M. from New York University School of Law. After working as a lawyer, assumed his current position in 2016. Currently engaged in activities to promote international labor standards in the context of SDGs and business and human rights. In addition to collaborating with the Japanese government, employer and labor organizations, and civil society, he also serves as a liaison with embassies of various countries. In charge of formulating and implementing projects related to global supply chains. Former member of the Working Group on the Action Plan on Business and Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a member of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's Guidelines for Respecting Human Rights in Supply Chains.
Wakao Hanaoka
He majored in marine environmental studies and marine biology at a university in Florida. After graduating, he worked in marine environmental conservation projects in the Maldives and Malaysia, and in 2007 he planned, launched and led a sustainable seafood project at the Japan branch of an international environmental NGO. After going independent, he founded Seafood Legacy Co., Ltd. in Tokyo in July 2015 and became its CEO. With the purpose of "passing on seafood, which symbolizes the connection between the ocean's nature, society and economy, to future generations in an abundant state (legacy)," he is working to bring about a system shift by connecting various stakeholders, including the domestic and international seafood industry, financial institutions, governments, NGOs, academia and the media, in order to make environmentally sustainable and socially responsible seafood the mainstream of seafood distribution in Asia.
Interviewed and written by: Chiho Iuchi
After working for the Japan Finance Corporation for Small and Medium Enterprises (now the Japan Finance Corporation) and the English newspaper The Japan Times, he has been freelance since 2016. In 2024, he completed a Master's in Sustainability Studies at the Hosei University Graduate School of Public Policy. He is a director of the Japan Council of Science and Technology Journalists. He mainly writes articles about culture and technology in both English and Japanese.
Photo by Nobuyuki Aoki
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Key terms and concepts to understand seafood sustainability.
