A First for Japan: Sanriku Oyster Producers, Distributor Join Forces and Incorporate (Wagaki Inc.)

SENDAI, MIYAGI PREFECTURE, JAPAN, December 27, 2011 (Press-News.org) Oyster producers who survived the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami have teamed up with a local oyster marketing and sales firm to produce and distribute deluxe quality oysters. This tie-up is Japan's first official collaboration between multiple oyster producers and a private company.

Hiroaki Saito, the president of iLINK Inc. (please see end of release for details), who initiated the Save Sanriku Oysters project, has joined hands with 19 oyster producers, including 3 representatives hailing from key production areas in Miyagi (Mangokuura in Ishinomaki, Higashi-matsushima, and Ojika-hanto.)

Wagaki Inc., is based in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, and is helmed by Saito. The company plans to make the industry more profitable than before the disaster by improving production conditions, and using a technique new to Japan.

The Sanriku region is world-renowned for its high quality seed oysters and Miyagi produces over 80% of Japan's oyster babies, which are shipped to other regions to be grown and harvested. These seeds can now be raised at home in optimal conditions to produce superior "Wagaki" oysters, following in the branding footsteps of premium "Wagyu" beef.

*About Wagaki Inc.*
Even before March 11, the oyster industry in Japan was at risk. Not only were the mostly elderly producers earning a relatively low income, the bulk of their work consisted of hard physical labour. So, the company founders concluded it was not enough to simply restore the industry to its former state, but that there needed to be a complete overhaul. The natural disaster had acted as a catalyst for major improvements, including making the vocation attractive to a younger crowd.

Yoshiaki Abe, Toshimi Abe, (no relation) and Koichiro Shinano, along with Saito, will be running their one-stop oyster shop by raising oysters with their colleagues in 6 production areas along the Miyagi coast, with an eye to widespread distribution.

*About the "technique new to Japan"*
Shortly after March 11, the president of Europe's largest oyster processing equipment manufacturer visited Miyagi as a founding member of the "France Okaeshi Project."
(Translation: "France Gives Back" - see next section for description.)
He asked, "Why not try French-style oyster farming as a way to revitalize the industry?"

This summer, reusable plastic oyster seed collectors from the manufacturer were tested and proved successful, allowing for baby oysters to be raised individually. In the fall, Saito, Yoshiaki Abe, and Toshimi Abe traveled to France to learn about techniques used in that country. Throughout their journey and upon returning to Miyagi, they have been working to adapt these methods for use at home.

"French style" oyster farming has many advantages including a well-formed product with a strong shell (allowing for a longer shelf-life), and a mild, easy-to-eat flavour. An oyster produced in the French style also commands a higher per-unit price than regular shell-less oysters which are the norm in Japan. Ultimately, in addition to selling "Wagaki" oysters domestically, the company aims to secure a place for them on the world stage.

"By collaborating with producers in different areas," Saito says, "our primary goal is to make "Wagaki" into the world's top ranked oyster."

*About the "France Okaeshi Project" (Translation: "France Gives Back")*
In the early 1970s, France experienced a devastating outbreak that nearly spelled the end of its oyster industry. Baby oysters from Miyagi were quickly introduced to French waters, and thrived. Currently, over 90% of oysters consumed in France are their descendants. For this reason, the "France Okaeshi Project" was set up this July with the Fondation de France, a non-profit organization, in an effort to give back to the region whose oyster seeds came to the rescue nearly half a century ago.

Ropes and buoys used in Japanese-style oyster farming were shipped over from France and distributed to communities in Miyagi. Now, the second wave of support is seeing more farming supplies reaching oyster producers in need.

*About iLINK Inc.*
A small business that happens to be the top online oyster distributor in Japan, (http://www.umaikaki.com), iLINK Inc. launched the Save Sanriku Oysters project on March 26th, which has provided greatly needed in-kind assistance to over 300 oyster farmers who lost their businesses in the tsunami (http://www.sanriku-oysters.com). This initiative gathered the necessary funds by issuing promissory notes for about $100 USD per unit, in exchange for a box of 20 oysters to be delivered to the sponsor when the industry is back on its feet. iLINK Inc. plans to expand its sales to overseas markets with the "Wagaki" as its flagship product, acquired from Wagaki Inc.

Contact:
Ivy Y. Ishihara
Manager, International Trading & Marketing
ishihara@ilink.jp
Mobile: +81 80-3144-8174

iLINK Inc.
2-7-12 Greenwood Bldg. 8F
Ichibancho, Aobaku
Sendai, JAPAN
980-0811

iLINK Inc. is Japan's top online distributor of quality oysters selected from across the country.