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"Aozora Study Abroad," a collaboration between Pocket Marche, which has a wealth of information and networks on the primary industry, and JAL, which is involved in local projects, aims to have university students immerse themselves in local primary production sites, uncover real issues there, and come up with solutions. At the final report meeting held on March 23, 2022, each team gave a presentation.
The Akita team became apprentices under a famous fisherman in Nikaho City and aimed to spread their knowledge through YouTube videos.
The Akita team used a document titled "Ekko and her fun friends." The fisherman they apprenticed under, Eijiro Sato (center front), is affectionately known as "Ekko-san" and is an influencer with over 200,000 followers on TikTok.
Ken Nishimura (School of Foreign Studies, Osaka University): "In response to the issues of a shortage of human resources and the low value of fish, we came up with the idea of introducing fishermen in an attractive way. So we started a YouTube channel called 'Bottom Trawler Ekko.' With realistic content that closely follows the lives of fishermen, 'Up Close and Personal! A Day in the Life of a Bottom Trawler' has been viewed 1,600 times."
YouTube "Bottom Trawler Fisherman Ekko"
Shigeki Kuribayashi (Faculty of Economics, University of Tokyo): "However, there were some things I regret. The resources required for collecting and editing the materials were greater than I had expected."
In addition to online promotional measures, we also planned actual events.
Sachiko Miwa (Japan Airlines Digital Promotion Department) "We will be holding an experiential event called 'Fisherman's Meal Eating Party.' By sharing their experiences during their stay, we hope to give them a real feel for the local area, deepen their connections, and create an opportunity for them to step into the local area."
Planning a fishing experience tour to revitalize the local area
The Akita team has positioned the video as step 1 and the exchange event as step 2, and is considering planning a travel project called "Fisherman Experience Tour: Learn to Live" as step 3.
Chiaki Kanda (Japan Airlines Cabin Crew Department) "In addition to experiencing fishing and interacting with fish producers, the main event is having dinner with the fish you've caught. However, since the purpose of this trip is to have fun, we are currently working on alternative plans in case we are unable to go fishing."
It appears that the students were greatly inspired by being exposed to the entire process from the real-life situation of primary industries to commercialization.
Kuribayashi: "I feel that it was an opportunity for me to get to know myself better. Ekko-san taught me that 'it's not just what job you do, but who you work with that's important.' These words really took me by surprise. For me, Akita is no longer just a rural area."
The Akita team said, "We want to give back to Ekko-san." They talked about their memories with Ekko-san. In addition to learning, it seems that the international students had a big encounter that changed their lives.
Team Yamaguchi expands their network and succeeds in product development
The Yamaguchi team visited fisherman Koji Kubota, who catches blue crabs and uses bottom trawls.
Takagi Anna (Keio University Faculty of Law): "We are happy that the number of fishermen in Sanyo Onoda is increasing, but in reality, it is difficult to do so. That is because even if you become a fisherman, there is no guarantee of a livelihood. I think that this is where the problem lies. In addition to environmental changes such as poor catches, the low market value of fish means there is also a serious shortage of people to take on the work."
Therefore, the Yamaguchi team decided that the first step would be to expand their network of contacts, starting with approaching producers, local areas, and local governments.
Moe Sakata (Japan Airlines West Japan Branch, Takamatsu Branch) "I enjoyed my time studying abroad, and before I knew it, my circle of friends had expanded, and I was able to make connections with the deputy mayor. Through these connections, I was able to develop the product. The local people also wanted to bring back the old, bustling atmosphere, and we all came together to work on this project."
Thus, in collaboration with the famous local shop "Hama no Tempura-ya," Yamaguchi's team developed "Habuten." Local ingredients, such as spinach from Sanyo-Onoda, are kneaded into the paste, making it a great snack or a great accompaniment to alcohol. In this day and age, you can get anything you want online, but they wanted locals to know about the charms of their hometown, so they made the decision to only sell it at the physical store of "Hama no Tempura-ya" in Sanyo-Onoda.
Broadening our horizons by taking new approaches
Rei Kusunoki (Faculty of Engineering, University of Tokyo): "We think this year is just the first step. Going forward, we would like to take on new initiatives while involving various people. We would like to exhibit at the Tokyo product fair in May, consider utilizing an elementary school that is to be closed, and explore collaboration with local university students."
The members of Yamaguchi's team, who had made it to the stage of product development and felt a sense of accomplishment, seemed to have gained a lot from it.
Takagi: "I had a vague desire to contribute to regional revitalization. I wanted to do something when I returned to my hometown of Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture. Through this study abroad experience, I was able to feel like I was a part of the local community, which was a great asset. I was able to see the local issues as my own, and gained a lot of experience that I can use in the future."
Kusunoki: "I strongly believe that the accumulation of small, steady efforts is what leads to regional revitalization. I am studying architecture at university, and the field of architecture is broad, from housing to urban development. I felt that it is important to find goals on a scale that suits you."
Sakata: "My parents are livestock farmers on Awaji Island, and I had the impression that all regions and primary production sites in Japan were the same. However, in reality, the atmosphere and challenges are completely different in each region. I realized that communication is important in identifying challenges. I also realized that working in a team allows you to see the region and production site from multiple angles, which generates more ideas than working alone."
The Yamaguchi team was able to "stir up" the local community through the very presence of international students. They also seemed to have come to understand the difficulty of local projects and the importance of teamwork.
The Kumamoto team's online sales initiative goes beyond the concept of river fish
The Kumamoto team has teamed up with Kawabe Fish Farm, which cultivates yamame and rainbow trout.
Nabeya Honoka (Aoyama Gakuin University, School of Community and Human Sciences): "They did a very careful job, and I could really sense the love the producers have for their fish. The managing director, who gained experience at an Italian restaurant in Fukuoka that was beloved by celebrities, has a strong commitment to processed products. They were also grateful to their customers. However, they faced challenges such as rising feed costs, a decrease in shipping volume due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a labor shortage. They also had concerns about the lack of understanding of the image of river fish."
So the Kumamoto team came up with the idea of promoting the appeal of river fish, and started developing a product with the concept of "providing excitement that goes beyond the concept of river fish." However, due to the impact of the coronavirus infection situation, they were unable to travel to the area.
Yu Mochitome (JAL Card): "We carried out the project remotely. We wanted to provide customers with an experience of learning about the products through pamphlets, having them taste them, and then having them deepen their understanding through videos and other means, and then have them actually visit the store."
To start with, Pocket Marche will be selling Kawabe Fish Farm's yamame trout and rainbow trout online. Both are carefully deboned and come in assorted sets that are easy to eat.
"I strongly feel that in order to further increase sales, spreading information about the product is an issue we need to address."
The Kumamoto team is currently in the process of selling "Caldera Trout Sauteed in Northern Italian Style" from the products sold by Kawabe Fish Farm on JAL Shopping. Sales are scheduled to begin after June. The Kumamoto team reflected that they learned the joy of coming up with a new set product as well as the difficulties of selling the product.
Reiji Suzuki (Kanazawa Institute of Technology, Department of Business and Information Science): "I realized that value cannot be measured by price alone. What you consider to be a fair value is different from what others perceive as a fair value. I realized that getting to know the faces of producers can motivate you to get involved with regions that you may not have had a connection with before."
A real sense of challenge and attachment gained by visiting
Mochitome: "When you actually go there, you can see the current situation and the issues. No matter how much you rack your brains when you're far away, it's still just empty theory. I also developed a strong attachment to Kawabe Fish Hatchery. I'm originally from Kumamoto, but I've come to feel more attached to Kawabe Fish Hatchery than I do to my parents' house (laughs)."
Keita Ueiri (JAL Engineering) "The international students had meetings almost every night. I'm sure this experience will be a treasured one for them."
The Aozora Study Abroad project will continue into the future, with more learning to come
Honda Shunsuke (Executive Officer and Head of Regional Business Division, Japan Airlines) "Listening to everyone's presentations, I felt a sense of confidence that, despite the challenges they faced, they had grasped something. Perhaps by coming into contact with local issues and producers, they were able to realize what they really wanted to do, something that had been lying dormant in their hearts. I think that is the great thing about this initiative."
The first term of Aozora Study Abroad will come to an end with this final presentation, but each project is still ongoing. This is because it is important to continue to approach solving local issues. The seven university students and JAL employees who continue to be involved will continue to learn new things in the future while maintaining contact with each community.
In addition, all of the destinations for this Aozora Study Abroad program were related to the fishing industry, but there are many producers and regions that face challenges in agriculture, livestock, etc. With the concept of "mixing urban and rural areas," the various possibilities for Aozora Study Abroad and others are likely to continue to expand in the future.
We'll take you behind the scenes of JAL's work, including inside stories on the introduction of the A350 and the development of in-flight meal menus.
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
