Kelp Under Threat in Hokkaidō Waters: The Impact of Climate Change on Japan’s Marine Products

Dried Rausu konbu, used to make dashi soup stock is popular for its strong umami taste. (© Yamamoto Tomoyuki)

Konbu harvesters in Rausu, Hokkaidō, in July 2024. (© Yamamoto Tomoyuki)

Hokkaidō’s Konbu Harvest

Saccharina longissima konbu drying in the sun. Photo taken in Nemuro, Hokkaidō, in June 2023. (© Yamamoto Tomoyuki)

Ice floes in the Sea of Okhotsk. Photo taken in February 2025. (© Yamamoto Tomoyuki)

Maximum Sea Ice Area in the Sea of Okhotsk by Year

There are concerns about a negative effect on scallops from the decline in drift ice. Photo taken on the ocean floor of the Sea of Okhotsk​ off Hokkaidō on October 2023. (© Yamamoto Tomoyuki)

Increase in Ocean Surface Temperatures in Waters Near Japan Over the Past 100 Years

Spiny lobster has been sighted in waters as far north as Iwate Prefecture. Photo taken off the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture in July 2024. (© Yamamoto Tomoyuki)