Women in Japan's fishery sector on the rise

Japan Times

16-07-2025

An increasing number of companies in Japan are recruiting women for fishery work in an attempt to address the sector's declining workforce.
Efforts to attract women into the industry reflect the struggles of many fishery businesses in finding young workers who can continue operations in the future.
This summer, calls for female fishery workers were on full display at job fairs for the sector. One such fair was held on July 5 in the city of Fukuoka, while similar events are planned in Tokyo and the city of Osaka later this month.
The events match companies and organizations seeking fisheries staff with aspiring workers. Although not many firms previously accepted women, over half of coastal fishery companies and organizations participating in this year's events said that they want to actively recruit women or are considering doing so.
Starting this summer, the fair organizer has created a flyer touting its support for the success of female fisheries workers, as part of affirmative action measures promoted by the country for expanding female employment opportunities. The flyer is being displayed on the organizer's website and at event venues.
According to the fisheries ministry, some 121,000 people in the sector worked at sea for 30 days or more in 2023. The figure is down over 60% from 1993, when it stood at about 325,000, highlighting the aging of the workforce.
Women only make up around 10% of workers in the fisheries industry, which has long been dominated by men.
While deep-sea fishing operations remain unaccommodating for female workers due to difficulties in securing women-only sleeping and bathing quarters on ships, coastal fishing has seen an increase in women as fishing trips are just a few hours long and only restrooms are needed to make ships female-friendly.
Shizuku Urata, who graduated from a fisheries high school three years ago, is a fixed-net fishery worker at Ajiro Gyogyo, based in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture. Urata leaves port with male coworkers before dawn to collect fishing nets and sort and transport catches. She has received positive feedback from her senior colleagues.
In the city of Owase in Mie Prefecture, Maki Kanazawa became a fisheries worker two years ago. Kanazawa has liked fish and admired the profession since she was a child.
"She works as hard as male fishermen," the president of her fishing company said.
The success of such female fisheries workers has gained attention on social media in recent years, leading to an increase in both female fishery job applicants and recruiters. The job fair organizer is supporting such aspiring workers through online seminars targeted at women.