Fukushima municipalities turn culled wildlife into regional food brand

Nishiaizu Town in Fukushima Prefecture will construct a wild game processing facility to transform culled wildlife into a regional brand. The municipality is collaborating with Kitakata City, Kitashiobara Village, Inawashiro Town, and Bandai Town to promote the consumption of wild boar, deer, and bear meat.

According to Fukushima Minyu, hunters and officials in the five municipalities captured 563 Asian black bears, 561 wild boars, and 57 sika deer. The captured numbers show an upward trend, yet the animals were disposed of rather than processed for food. The new facility will hold an annual processing capacity of up to 1,000 animals. Planners expect to process a total of 250 bears, boars, and deer in the first year of operation.

Agricultural damage caused by wild animals has become severe, and bear attacks are increasing. Concurrently, the number of active hunters is declining. Fukushima Minyu suggests that establishing a system to purchase captured animals at appropriate prices will likely broaden the demographic of hunters and help reduce crop damage. Officials plan to sell the wild game products at local roadside stations, known as Michi-no-Eki, and partner with regional restaurants and tourist facilities to build a consumer base for the high-value Aizu brand.

Following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, shipments of captured wild animals in the prefecture faced restrictions. Under a system allowing partial lifting of these restrictions, the new processing facility will conduct full-head inspections for radioactive materials. Only animals that test below the standard limit will proceed to shipment.

Nationwide wild game consumption reached 2,678 tonnes two years ago, more than doubling over the past decade. The Japanese government targets an increase to 4,000 tonnes by the 2029 fiscal year. Fukushima Minyu sees an opportunity where capitalising on the growing demand for wild game, this northern Aizu initiative could represents a practical model for creating a positive economic cycle.