F&LC, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Ando Construction, and others have established a consortium to pioneer the nation’s first land-based aquaculture of white horsehead and have begun joint research.

　FOOD & LIFE COMPANIES LTD. (Headquarters: Suita City, Osaka Prefecture; President and CEO: Masahiro Yamamoto; hereinafter “F&LC”) has entered into a partnership with Ando Construction Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture; Representative Director: Shigeyuki Ando;hereinafter “Ando Construction”), the Yamaguchi Prefectural Fisheries Research Center,the Yamaguchi Prefecture Sea Farming Public Corporation, and the Yamaguchi Prefectural Fisheries Cooperative Association to conduct joint research aimed at realizing Japan’s first land-based aquaculture of “white horseheads,” a fish known for its high-end quality. The consortium will be established on Thursday, November 5, 2026.

 　This consortium centers on the white horsehead fry production technology pioneered by Yamaguchi Prefecture—the first of its kind in Japan—and brings together Ando Construction’s land-based aquaculture technology, the Yamaguchi Prefecture Sea Farming Public Corporation’s fry supply andrearing technologies, the distribution and market development capabilities of the Yamaguchi Prefectural Fisheries Cooperative, and F&LC’s quality assessment, product development, and sales capabilities. We are working to establish commercial aquaculture technology for white horsehead using land-based aquaculture, which is less susceptible to the effects of high water temperatures.

To date, F&LC has pursued collaboration with aquaculture operators—including capital participation in land-based sea urchin aquaculture projects and research and sales of yellowtail fry—with the aim of securing a stable supply of marine resources. We believe that participating in this consortium will contribute to the establishment of a sustainable procurement system while ensuring the stable supply of high-value-added fish species through collaboration with local fisheries businesses. We will move forward with this initiative with the goal of beginning sales at “Sushiro” restaurants operated by F&LC in 2028.

■ Background and Objectives
White horsehead is the species that grows to the largest size among the Branchiostegus family (including Red Amadai and Yellow Amadai).It is also known in the market as “Shirakawa” and is used in high-end Japanese restaurants, but it faces challenges due to low wild catch volumes, making stable procurement difficult. Therefore, this consortium is focusing on land-based aquaculture, which is less susceptible to the effects of the marine environment, and is working to establish measures to address high water temperatures and stable rearing management techniques.In addition, we will conduct quality assessments based on market needs, examine product specifications, and verify market potential. By comprehensively evaluating the entire process from production to sales, we aim to establish a sustainable commercial aquaculture model for the white amberjack.

■ About the Consortium: Roles of Each Organization

■ About the Consortium: The Roles of Each Organization

・FOOD & LIFE COMPANIES LTD. (Quality Assessment and Sales) We conduct quality assessments and product planning through joint research, and handle sales by leveraging our network of restaurants, such as “Sushiro.”

・Ando Construction Co., Ltd. (Aquaculture and Production Management) Began land-based aquaculture of flounder in 1985 and tiger pufferfish in 2005.Leveraging the abundant marine resources of Nagato City, the company has developed its own brand of tiger pufferfish, “Kamira,” and possesses unique expertise and a proven track record in land-based aquaculture. In this project, the company will be responsible for the development and management of land-based aquaculture facilities, as well as conducting aquaculture demonstration trials on a commercial scale.

・Yamaguchi Prefectural Fisheries Research Center (Technical Cooperation) Since 2017, the center has been working to understand the ecology of the white horsehead and develop fry production technologies. In 2019, it became the first in Japan to successfully mass-produce artificial fry by collecting eggs from wild fish.To date, the center has released more than 200,000 juveniles and possesses some of the nation’s leading white horsehead fry production technologies. In this project, the center will verify rearing environments using small-scale tanks and analyze and evaluate data from aquaculture demonstration trials.

・Yamaguchi Prefecture Sea Farming Public Corporation (Aquaculture Production Management) We have a proven track record of collaborating with the Yamaguchi Prefectural Fisheries Research Center to develop technology for the production of white horsehead fry, and we are currently responsible for the production and supply of white horsehead fry within the prefecture.In this project, we will ensure a stable supply of fry for aquaculture while conducting aquaculture demonstration trials in collaboration with Ando Construction.

・Yamaguchi Prefecture Fisheries Cooperative Leveraging the prefecture’s seafood distribution network, we will work to verify appropriate shipping standards and price ranges for fresh fish and develop new sales channels to restaurants and other establishments within the prefecture. At the same time, we will move forward with the development of a sales model with a view to future adoption and expansion among aquaculture operators in the prefecture.

　Through this consortium, we aim to protect marine resources and ensure a stable supply by leveraging the collaboration between Yamaguchi Prefecture’s cutting-edge technology and local aquaculture expertise, so that we can continue to provide our customers with delicious meals.

■ About the White horsehead

• It is the largest species among the Branchiostegus family, with individuals reaching a total length of over 60 cm.
• In 2019, Yamaguchi Prefecture became the first in Japan to successfully mass-produce fry of this species.
・In 2023, the prefecture succeeded in producing fry from artificially bred parent fish for the first time in Japan.・Characterized by its
refined sweetness and rich, fatty texture, it is favored not only by chefs in the world of Japanese cuisine but also by those in a wide range of culinary genres, including French and Italian.

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