The city of Nemuro, Hokkaido, which boasts the nation's largest saury catches, has been stepping up efforts to export the fish to Vietnam.

To expand sales to Southeast Asia, the port city gave a sales pitch to senior Vietnamese officials with the support of the Japan External Trade Organization in April 2010. The city said it chose Vietnam as its initial target because demand for imported sea fish there has been growing.

In May 2010, Nemuro founded an export promotion committee jointly with local business groups and fisheries cooperative associations. As part of the effort, the city is taking part in the Oishii Nippon Fair, a trade exhibition cohosted by JETRO to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Japanese-Vietnamese relations. It is being held in Ho Chi Minh City from Tuesday through Sunday.