Overfishing is a serious problem around the world. All major countries are responsible for the current state of fish decline, but Japan is the leader in consumption of many fish taken.
A staggering 97 percent of the Pacific bluefin tuna population has been lost to fishing. As any business or individual knows, if you spend 97 percent of your money it's time for some serious budgeting and cutbacks. The difference is, you can always make more money, but once a species is gone, that's it forever. It will never return.
If Japan doesn't make some serious changes to its fishing policies regarding bluefin tuna and many other species immediately an intrinsic part of Japanese culture will be lost. Everyone on Earth will lose something very special. If this happens it will be a result of short-sightedness and greed, not lack of ability.
I hope the leaders in the sushi and fishing industries as well as the government will recognize the value of preserving bluefin tuna and all ocean species rather than squeezing every last drop of the ocean for profit.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.