The Kingdom of Norway is famous for its beautiful nature, cold clear waters and tasty seafood.
The country has access to around 3 million tons of wild and farmed seafood and is the world’s largest net exporter of seafood.
Last year, the export value of seafood reached an all-time high of Norwegian krone 172 billion ($16.2 billion) — an increase of 14% compared with 2022.
Japan is the 12th-largest market for Norwegian seafood and has for decades been among Norway’s most important export markets for salmon, mackerel, Fjord trout, redfish, herring, king crab and snow crab.
The most famous species is Norwegian salmon — a fresh-farmed fish perfect for raw consumption without any preparation.
Sales boomed when it was first introduced to kaitenzushi (conveyor-belt sushi) restaurants, and today Japanese customers repeatedly select the attractive pink-fleshed fish.
Salmon from Norway has become not only Japan’s favorite sushi topping, but the favorite of Japanese sushi chefs all over the world.
In Japan and many other Asian countries, fresh salmon is prepared and eaten raw — only rarely is salmon served as a heated dish. In Europe and North America, Norwegian salmon is served as a warm dish.
In November 2023, Norwegian salmon was recognized as the fourth meat alongside chicken, pork and beef, and many people in Japan are making the switch from meat to Norwegian salmon.
Another jewel in the crown of Norwegian seafood sold in Japan is mackerel. A very popular and traditional fish in Japan, mackerel has a delicious taste and excellent health benefits.
The Norwegian Seafood Council recently estimated that the people of Japan ate 273,000 metric tons of of mackerel in 2022, with 51% sourced from Norway and 38% from Japan.
With a stable year-round supply of high-quality mackerel, seven out of 10 mackerel sold in Japanese retail establishments are sourced from Norway.
Mackerel from Norway is caught under strict fishery management legislation ensuring that sustainability and quality are of the highest priority. Before mackerel is shipped from Norway to Japan, Japanese mackerel inspectors working in Norway ensure only the best-quality specimens are sent to Japan.
The origin mark “Seafood from Norway” is recognized all over the world and guarantees the packaged seafood originates from the cold clear waters of Norway.
https://en.seafood.no/
www.seafoodfromnorway.jp
