HONOLULU, Hawaii – JTB Hawaii Travel, LLC (hereinafter referred to as “JTB Hawaii”. President Tomoyuki Kajiwara) is collaborating with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Los Angeles, to conduct promotions aimed at expanding the Japanese seafood in the Hawaii market.

In 2023, the export value of agricultural, forestry, fishery and food products exceeded 1 trillion yen in September, one month earlier than in 2022. However, seafood products such as scallops have been greatly affected by import restrictions on marine products in some countries, posing a major challenge to protect the fisheries industry. As a result, the United States, which is the third largest export destination for Japan by country, is also required to make proactive efforts to contribute to the consumption and expansion of commercial distribution of Japan agricultural, forestry fishery and food products. In response, JTB Hawaii and JETRO Los Angeles are focusing on Hawaii, where approximately 40% of the population is of Asian descent and Japanese food culture is particularly prevalent. Through this collaboration, they will implement the following initiatives to help expand the consumption of Japan seafood products.

1) Hawaii Celebrity Chef/Influencer Japan Invitation Tour

Conduct a tour aiming to expand exports to the Hawaii market by inviting renowned chefs, including Roy Yamauchi from the ROY’s Group, which has 10 establishments in Hawaii, and other prominent chefs active in Hawaii to Japan. Through this initiative, the program seeks to deepen their understanding of Japanese seafood while facilitating networking with producers and exporters. Additionally, the tour will invite influencers living in Hawaii to promote the appeal of Japanese products to Hawaii food businesses and general consumers.
■Tour Period: Saturday, January 27, 2024 ~ Friday, February 2, 2024. (7 days)
■Number of people: 10 chefs, 5 influencers
■Inspection locations: 3 locations in Japan: Tokyo (Toyosu Market, Tsukiji Market, etc.), Fukuoka (Nagahama Fresh Fish Market, etc.), Ehime (mandarin sea bream farm, etc.)

2) Concentrated Promotion of Japan Seafood in Hawaii Restaurants and Retail Stores

Conduct a focused promotion of Japanese seafood in popular restaurants and retail stores in Hawaii, such as Don Quijote. Each location will develop and offer original menus using Japanese seafood, providing opportunities for customers to experience the appeal of the ingredients firsthand.
■Dates: Friday, March 1, 2024 ~ Sunday, March 17, 2024 *Hawaii time
■Location: Oahu, Hawaii
■Targeted Locations: 30 restaurants, 5 retail stores (TBD)

3) Japanese seafood Export Business Meeting in Hawaii

Organize a face-to-face business meeting event between approximately 16 businesses interested in exporting to Hawaii with local importers, restaurants, hotels, chefs, etc. The meeting event aims to create business opportunities and network to support Japanese seafood export.
■Date: Friday, March 8, 2024 *Hawaii time
■Venue: Banquet hall at Queen Kapiolani Hotel, Hawaii (TBD)
■Participants: 15 Japan exporters, 50 Hawaii buyers (approx. 100 attendees)

4) Offering Menus with Japanese Seafood at the Honolulu Festival Friendship Party

At the Honolulu Festival, Hawaii’s largest cultural exchange event there will be an original menu featuring Japanese seafood at the Friendship Party aimed to foster participant interaction with Japanese seafood.
■Date: Friday, March 8, 2024, 7:00 p.m. *Hawaii Time
■Venue: Hawaii Convention Center
■Visitors: 700-1,000 attendees

5）JAPAN FOOD FESTIVAL in Hawaii

As a sister event to the Honolulu Festival, JTB Hawaii and JETRO Los Angeles will host a Japan seafood event for the general public at a specially designated area on the 1st floor of the Hawaii Convention Center. The event will feature various Japanese seafood dishes, food tasting sessions, workshops, entertainment elements such as tuna dismantling shows and musubi cooking demonstrations. The event will provide opportunities for attendees to enjoy Japanese seafood with their eyes and taste buds.
■Dates: Saturday, March 9, 2024 ~ Sunday, March 10, 2024 *Hawaii time
■Venue: Hawaii Convention Center 1F
■Visitors: Approximately 20,000 (2 days total)
■Admission: Free (Tasting tickets available for purchase)
*A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Tasting Tickets will be used to support the relief and reconstruction efforts on Maui Island through the Maui Strong Fund established by the Hawaii Community Foundation.
*Japan Food Festival Official Website: https://japanfoodhawaii.com/

JTB Hawaii and JETRO Los Angeles are committed to valuing the limited resources of our plant, including agriculture, forestry, and fishery products. They aim to contribute to the achievement of the Japanese government’s export target for agricultural, forestry, fishery and food products (2 trillion yen by 2025, 5 trillion yen by 2030). In addition, they strive to foster mutual understanding of each culture through seafood and work towards the realization of a peaceful and prosperous society.

【Inquiries】

JTB Hawaii Travel, LLC Hawaii Business Development Department: Kawanabe/Sato
japanfoodfestival@gmail.com