The agriculture and fisheries industry in the northeastern Hokkaido region of Okhotsk is facing a serious labor shortage.
Tokyo University of Agriculture’s Okhotsk campus, in the city of Abashiri, was closed as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, leading to a sharp decline in the number of students living in the city and working part-time in the sector.
The university plans to hold online lectures until the end of July, followed by summer vacation, meaning the impact is likely to continue for an extended period.