Eel Regulation Proposal: How should Japan Respond to Demands for Resource Protection?

How should the resource of eels, which are part of Japan’s traditional food culture, be protected? As one of the world’s top consumers of eels, Japan needs to take the lead in efforts for resource protection and gain the understanding of the international community.

In June this year, the European Union and some countries proposed adding Japanese eel to the list of species regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention. The pact’s purpose is to regulate international trade in endangered wildlife. The proposal seeks to classify Japanese eel as a species subject to the second-strictest regulation in a three-tier system.

About 180 countries and regions are signatories of the convention. If two-thirds or more vote in favor at the convention’s meeting that will start in late November, the regulations on Japanese eel will be strengthened.

Japanese eel is found widely across East Asia, including Japan and China. If the regulations are strengthened, exporters in China and elsewhere will be required to obtain written permission from their governments, which could cause delays in exports. Japan, which relies on imports, will likely be significantly affected by issues, including rising transaction prices.

European eel has been subject to regulations since 2009. However, there have reportedly been cases of trade involving European eel passed off as Japanese eel, and illegal activities such as smuggling have continued even after the regulations began.

For this reason, the EU argues that there is a need to add the 18 remaining species, including Japanese eel, to the convention’s regulations.

In contrast, the Japanese government strongly opposes this proposal. It argues that the species’ stocks are currently recovering, and there is no risk of extinction due to international trade.

However, in 2014 the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources designated Japanese eel as an endangered species. Strengthening resource management is a serious issue for Japan.

Japan relies on imports from China and elsewhere for about 70% of its domestic supply. In order to gain international understanding for Japan’s position, the nation will have to set an example by making its own efforts to manage resources.

Japan has experience in taking the initiative to establish an international regulatory framework.

Japan, China, South Korea and Taiwan agreed in 2022 on specific upper limits for the number of glass eels, or young eels, to be farmed in aquaculture ponds to prevent overfishing. This is an achievement of Japan’s initiative.

Japan should promote its adherence to this agreement to the international community in close cooperation with China, South Korea and Taiwan.

Although this framework does not include penalties, Japan revised its Fishery Law in 2023 through its independent efforts to impose stricter penalties for illegal fishing.

However, illegal fishing of young eels continues, meaning that Japan’s arguments against proposed regulations under the Washington Convention lack persuasiveness. Strengthening measures against illegal fishing is an urgent task.

As a key measure for resource protection, it is hoped that “complete aquaculture,” which involves artificially hatching eggs, will be commercialized.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 20, 2025)

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