Sockeye salmon being raised through land-based aquaculture using the Third Water™ technology have reached their shipping stage. On July 20, 2024, a press conference was held at the headquarters of Ichii, a supermarket chain in Fukushima City, to announce the progress of the project. Representatives from Ichii, Okayama University of Science (OUS), and NTT East Japan shared the outcomes of their joint research. Trial sales were also announced, starting the following day at Ichii supermarket in Fukushima City. This milestone marks a significant leap toward the world’s first business-based commercial farming of sockeye salmon.
Nobuhiro Ito, President and CEO of Ichii; Hiroyuki Hirano, President of Okayama University of Science; and Naoki Shibuya, President of NTT East Japan attended the press conference. Approximately 20 local and national media outlets also attended, highlighting the widespread interest in the initiative.
President Ito: “An Era of Self-Sufficiently Producing Fish”
President Ito reflected, “Our company primarily operates supermarkets, but we started out as a fish market. As the environment surrounding fisheries grows increasingly challenging, we believe the time has come to produce fish ourselves. This project embodies our dedication, and today, we are thrilled to introduce fish raised in a safe and secure environment and we thank everyone for their support.”
President Hirano: “Revolutionary Technology for Social Contribution”
President Hirano shared, “The Third Water™ technology is the culmination of years of trial and error. It enables the stable supply of fish and vegetables unaffected by rising sea temperatures, extreme weather, or natural disasters. From a SDGs perspective, it is groundbreaking technology. By strengthening collaboration among our three organizations, we hope to deliver results that will bring security and satisfaction to consumers. He emphasized social contribution as a research institution.
President Shibuya: “A Project with the Potential to Create a New Industry”
President Shibuya expressed his thoughts: “By leveraging our digital technologies, we have supported the modernization of primary industries. We were drawn to the environmentally friendly and fully circular Third Water™ system, which also allows remote operation. Having served as the Fukushima branch manager during the Great East Japan Earthquake, I am deeply moved to announce this project. It has the potential to create a new industry, and we are also exploring global expansion.”
Tasting Event Praised for Quality
After the press conference, a taste-testing event showcase was held, where participants praised the fish, saying, “The fat of the fish is smooth and flavorful,” “It has a light yet firm texture,” and “This changes my image of salmon.”
Remarkable Growth: From 70g to 1,200g in 18 Months
Despite high consumer demand, sockeye salmon have been challenging to cultivate due to their disease susceptibility and slow growth. Until now, large-scale land-based aquaculture of this species had never succeeded. By combining OUS’s aquaculture expertise and the Third Water™ system technology with NTT East Japan’s ICT solutions, this project has automated and optimize operations to create an advanced land-based aquaculture facility. The facility includes a 22-ton tank, salmon that weighted just 70g in January 2022 grew to an average of 800- 900g in 18 months, with some exceeding 1,200g – remarkably faster than the several years typically required under natural conditions.
Ichii signed a basic agreement with Kawamata Town, near Fukushima City, to repurpose a closed school building for expanding its aquaculture operations.
On July 21, 2024, trial sales began at ICHII’S Rosinante MARKET Fukushima West Store. News of the event drew large crowds, eager to purchase sushi, sashimi, fillets, and salmon burgers - all priced at 980 yen (before tax).