"Even Without Catching Fish, Big Company Salary Provided"... Japanese Company Offers 'Unprecedented Conditions' Amid Labor Shortage

Muroto City Fisheries Company in Kochi Prefecture's 'Unprecedented Conditions' Spark Attention
Fixed Monthly Salary, Paid Leave, and Allowances Also Provided

In Japan, where young fishermen are decreasing due to low birth rates, aging population, and the risk of regional extinction, a fishing company adopting a salary system like that of regular office workers is drawing attention. The monthly salary reaches the level of large corporations, and various allowances are generously provided, making it noteworthy.

According to NHK on the 18th, Mitsuookishi Co., Ltd., a political net fishing company in Muroto City, Kochi Prefecture, currently pays its fishermen a fixed monthly salary regardless of weather and catch volume. With biannual bonuses, paid leave, and various allowances, the employees here are called "salaryman fishermen."

This improves the instability of fishermen whose pay fluctuates daily based on catch volume and significantly increases welfare benefits.

Fishermen are working at Mitsuookishi Co., Ltd., a political net fishing company in Muroto City, Kochi Prefecture. (Photo by NHK)

The company pays a base salary according to age up to 25 years old. For example, a 22-year-old receives a base salary of 220,000 yen (1.98 million KRW) plus various allowances such as rent, commuting expenses, meal costs, holiday work, and a "full catch allowance" on days with a large catch.

Not only the salary but also the irregular working hours of fishermen have been fixed, with work starting at 5 a.m. and ending at 2 p.m., and every Saturday designated as a holiday with 10 days of paid leave provided annually.

A 32-year-old employee who switched from a food company to become a fisherman at this company currently earns over 400,000 yen (3.6 million KRW) per month. He stated that he receives a higher salary than at his previous company. He also said that his daily life has changed, as he works during the day and in the afternoon picks up his child from daycare to have dinner with his wife.

NHK explained that the reason this Japanese fishing company introduced such a system was due to a serious labor shortage. In Kochi Prefecture, the number of people employed in fishing has decreased from 7,000 to 3,300 over the past 20 years. In Muroto City, the lack of people willing to become fishermen has long been a problem. Even this company had no new fishermen for 30 years.

As no newcomers joined and the existing fishermen aged, the volume of fishing gradually began to decline. There was a time when annual revenue reached 300 million yen (2.7 billion KRW), but over 10 years, annual revenue steadily decreased to 100 million yen (900 million KRW). Two years ago, the company faced a crisis, nearly going bankrupt.

In response, the company decided to break long-standing customs and realize the "office worker-ization" of fishermen. Kosei Yamamoto, the head of the fishing department, said, "Due to the effects of low birth rates and aging in the area, there are no people willing to become fishermen. We must dispel the image that fishermen have unstable livelihoods," and initiated reforms. He also visited various job seminars and vocational schools to promote the idea of "office worker fishermen."

Thanks to these efforts, the number of young people coming from outside the region to become fishermen has started to increase. Already, 35 young fishermen have been trained and are working at sea over the past five years at this company.

The company also created a system for employees to grow after joining. It abolished seniority-based promotion and actively appointed young people to key positions; currently, a 24-year-old in his third year at the company is working as a ship helmsman.

Mr. Yamamoto told NHK, "Old fishing companies only gave positions to local people. Results come from companies that change old customs," adding, "You cannot survive with old ways of thinking."