Eel Trade Restriction Rejected: Japan Must Continue Striving for Resource Conservation

Editorial

13:59 JST, December 2, 2025

As one of the world’s largest consumers of eel, resource conservation is a critical challenge for Japan. To prevent this traditional food culture from disappearing, Japan must strive for appropriate eel resource management.

The conference of the parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention, which regulates international trade in endangered wild flora and fauna, rejected a proposal to strengthen eel trade restrictions. The European Union had made the proposal, and Japan and other countries opposed it.

European eel has been subject to regulations since 2009.

The EU sought to add Japanese eel to the list of regulated species to stop the smuggling of European eel falsely labeled as Japanese eel or other species. The EU also argued that Japanese eel stocks are declining.

Japan strongly opposed this assertion, arguing that Japanese eel stocks have been recovering since 1990 and are “not at risk of extinction.”

Japanese eels are found widely across East Asia, including Japan and China, and differ from European eels. Japan also pointed out that smuggling is an issue the EU itself should address by strengthening its own measures.

It is commendable that Japan’s position gained international recognition this time. The assessment from a U.N. agency that the extinction risk for Japanese eel and others is low also provided a tailwind. The importance of holding discussions based on scientific evidence must be reaffirmed.

The possibility of stricter regulations had raised concerns that imports of adult fish, fry and processed products like kabayaki grilled eel would stall and their prices would go up. Stakeholders in Japan must be relieved.

Adoption of the proposed regulation would have required approval from more than two-thirds of the parties to the convention. In the vote, however, approximately 70%, or 100 of the votes, opposed the proposal. Only 35 were in favor, with 8 abstentions. The proposal was rejected by a much larger margin than Japan had anticipated.

Opposition came not only from the United States, but also from Asian countries like China and South Korea, as well as African nations. This outcome can be seen as a diplomatic success, stemming from Japan’s efforts to engage African countries at an international conference held in Japan in August.

To maintain international understanding, Japan must take the lead in demonstrating its commitment to strengthening resource management. To prevent the overfishing of glass eels, as young eels are called, the maximum limit for the number that can be placed in aquaculture ponds must strictly be observed. Strengthening anti-poaching measures is also an urgent task.

Japan relies on imports from China and other countries for 70% of its domestic eel supply. Much about eels’ ecology remains unclear. The catch of glass eels is also declining. Discussions surrounding eel protection are likely to continue.

To overcome such issues, commercializing “full-cycle aquaculture” that starts with the artificial hatching of eggs is also urgently needed.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 2, 2025)