[2026 New Year's Interview] Why change the company name now? A seafood industry leader shares his strategy for surviving turbulent times (Part 1)

Maruha Nichiro Corporation President and CEO Masaru Ikemi
Seafood Legacy Co., Ltd. President and CEO Kazuo Hanaoka

In March 2026, Maruha Nichiro Corporation will change its name to Umios Corporation. With roots in the fishing industry and a history spanning over 145 years, Maruha Nichiro has led the Japanese seafood industry as a leader. How will the name change affect the company, and what kind of world will it aim for?

At the beginning of 2026, Maruha Nichiro Corporation Representative DirectorThe presidentIkemi Masaru IkemiWe spoke with Wakao Hanaoka, CEO of Seafood Legacy Co., Ltd. We asked him about the meaning behind the company name "Umios" and his thoughts and efforts on resource management, one of the challenges facing the fisheries industry.

To become a solutions company that creates value from the ocean

Hanaoka:
This March, the company name will finally be changed from Maruha Nichiro to "Umios." This will be news that sends a big message both inside and outside the company, so please tell us again about the thoughts behind the company name.

Ikemi:
Maruha Nichiro was formed through the merger of two companies, Maruha and Nichiro. Maruha's predecessor was Taiyo Fisheries, and Nichiro's predecessor was Nichiro Fisheries, and we have a history of over 145 years, centered on the seafood business. Changing the name of Maruha Nichiro was an extremely courageous decision, but we felt that a change worthy of a name change was necessary in order to increase our corporate value and look ahead to the future of Japan's seafood industry.

"Umi" embodies our desire to create value originating from the ocean, our roots and DNA. The "o" stands for "one," representing our philosophy of becoming one with internal and external stakeholders, society, and the Earth. The "s" stands for "solutions," embodying our determination to provide solutions to global social issues through food.

Seafood, which is high in protein and low in fat, is highly rated worldwide and consumption is increasing, which could be seen as an opportunity for us. However, currently, wild seafood catches are declining due to various factors including climate change, and consumption in Japan is also declining. Now is the time for us to transform into a solutions-oriented company that tackles global social issues in order to improve the future of people and the planet through food. This desire has been incorporated into our company name.

Maruha Nichiro's new company name "Umios" logo mark

Renewing our identity to survive in the future

Hanaoka:
Changing the company name is a major change in the company's 145-year history. It must have been difficult to gain understanding within the company.

Ikemi:
Since last year, I've spent time visiting all of our approximately 50 domestic bases and speaking face-to-face with our employees. As an integrated company, we've added to each other to enhance the strengths of each company, but going forward, we must multiply. As a catalyst for this transformation, I asked for their understanding in changing our company name, relocating our headquarters, and changing our identity. Some employees expressed a sense of discomfort with the current situation, and gave presentations on how they could do something interesting. I felt that "now is the time to do it." The name change is a declaration of our intention to change ourselves in order to move to an environment where we can take on more challenges and survive in this rapidly changing world.

Hanaoka:
A dozen years ago, the world criticized Japan for "recklessly overfishing and eating too much fish." Since then, under your company's leadership, the concept of sustainability has spread to Japan's seafood industry. Now, as the core of one of the world's largest seafood groups, your company's announcement of its intention to transform into a solutions-oriented company serves as a powerful guidepost for the industry both domestically and internationally. What kind of reaction have you received from your overseas partner companies?

Ikemi:
The reaction from overseas was good, with people saying "Congratulations" and giving positive feedback. They were pleased with our resolve, but I think they had been wanting us to "make more of an impact as the parent company" for some time. It may have been difficult for our overseas group companies and investors to see what kind of company we were aiming to be. I think the name change was a way of saying, "Thank you for clarifying our direction."

In March of this year, Maruha Nichiro changed its name. "This is a declaration of our determination to change in order to survive in this rapidly changing world," says President Ikemi.

Proposals to the government aimed at promoting resource management. Aiming for "safe products from this company"

Hanaoka:
The new company name is "The name expresses the company's determination to "solve global social issues through food," but the world's fisheriesClimate change, overfishing,IUU (illegal, unreported, unregulated) fishing,Modern SlaveryThere are various challenges, such as the need to build a supply chain. How do you plan to solve these issues?

Ikemi:
we,"We have identified nine key issues (materiality) in the sustainability field, such as "preserving biodiversity and ecosystems," "respecting human rights in business activities," and "building a sustainable supply chain," and have set KGI (We are working to achieve these targets by setting key performance indicators.This is a goal that cannot be achieved through the efforts of our company alone, and we believe that the only way to achieve this is through continued, steady efforts in collaboration with our stakeholders.

The decline of fisheries resources is also a major issue. To solve this, it is important to manage resources based on scientific evidence. Looking around the world, countries that have been able to manage resources are able to continue their business, fishermen receive fair compensation, and the industry has become a growing one. This principle needs to be disseminated throughout society, but when we look at Japan today, we cannot say that resource surveys and management are being carried out sufficiently based on scientific evidence. As expected, there has been a growing sense of crisis within the country recently, and dialogue has begun among fisheries companies, and the government has also accepted their recommendations.

President Ikemi is appealing to the government about the importance of resource management and promoting dialogue between companies.

There's only so much a single private company can do, but we're currently conducting demonstration experiments with the aim of introducing our own electronic traceability system, and we're also conducting fishery resource surveys with third-party evaluations. Marine products that lack traceability are often unsellable around the world, so if we can add value to these products and export them, we can increase the compensation of fishermen, including those working in small-scale coastal fisheries. Increasing the number of success stories is the first step. It would be great if this could eventually lead to the spread of business models that lead to regional revitalization.

Screen image of the app for the electronic fisheries traceability system currently under demonstration testing

Last yearNissui President Shingo Hamada (current chairman) met with then Fisheries Agency Commissioner Ken Mori.I also spoke with the Liberal Democratic Party's Fisheries Committee. The Fisheries Resilience Plan was subsequently formulated. It is still insufficient as it does not include details on aquaculture or distribution, but it does mention research and survey funding, and I feel that we have finally taken a step forward.

Hanaoka:
Your company's stance as a solutions company that connects resource management and the elimination of overfishing to business provides an extremely strong direction for Japan's declining fishing industry.

Ikemi:
Our primary goal is to increase our corporate value. Rather than short-term gains or losses, there is nothing better than surviving for the next 100 years. We would be happy if consumers could see our products and think, "I can buy from this company with confidence."

Hanaoka:
The ideal future would be one in which people can feel confident in their purchases if they see your company's logo on them.

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Second partSo, let's talk about our efforts in aquaculture and Seafood Legacy, in which Maruha Nichiro is also involved.Responsible Seafood Sourcing Roundtable (JRSR) )We will discuss each other's future prospects.

Interviewed and written by: Shino Kawasaki

After working at a design firm planning and editing corporate advertisements, she became a freelance writer, copywriter, and food coordinator in 2016. She writes in a variety of fields, including lifestyle, food and drink, and medicine.