Declining Share of Sales Through Wholesale Markets and Intensifying Sales Competition
First written in FY2016. 23 of 35 entries say "Restated". Latest entry: 2026-11-05.
The whole theme swung hardest in 2026: 2 of 6 companies on the "Worse" side.
3 other companies' latest entry also says "Restated".
- FY2026RestatedAnnual report
「Landings of fresh seafood improved for certain species, including saury and squid, but remained weak for other species throughout the year. Import volumes of seafood such as crab, mackerel and octopus declined, but the sustained weakening of the yen kept imported fish prices high, causing the value of imports to exceed the previous year's level.」
The difficult industry environment is reconfirmed as one in which a recovery in catches of certain species coexists with weak catches of other species and elevated imported fish prices due to the weaker yen. - 2026-05-12RestatedRevisions to earnings forecasts
「需要面におきましては、訪日客による消費の下支えもあり外食需要は堅調に推移しました。一方で、物価上昇に伴う実質所得の伸び悩みもあり、消費者の節約志向は根強く内食需要は力強さを欠いた状況が続きました。」
外食需要の堅調さと、物価上昇・節約志向による内食需要の弱さが併存する状況を再確認している。 - FY2026-H1Increased catches of certain species coexist with elevated imported fish prices and weak at-home consumptionAnnual report
「During the interim consolidated accounting period, catches of certain species, including saury and tuna, increased in the seafood distribution industry, while other species continued to perform poorly. In addition, the weaker yen kept imported fish prices elevated. On the demand side, sales to the food-service sector remained firm against a backdrop of expanding inbound demand, but consumers became more inclined to save in response to rising prices and stagnant real incomes, causing at-home demand to stagnate. Difficult industry conditions therefore continue.」
The industry environment has evolved with increased catches of certain species coexisting with weak catches of other species, elevated imported fish prices due to the weaker yen, firm food-service demand and sluggish at-home demand. - FY2025RestatedAnnual report
「Supply and demand conditions are characterized by declining catches and growing global demand for seafood. In addition, rising personnel and logistics costs, together with the impact of the weaker yen and other factors, have pushed seafood prices higher. In terms of consumption trends, the food-service sector continued to perform well on strong inbound demand. Meanwhile, the industry faced difficult conditions as at-home consumption growth slowed amid consumers' increasingly frugal spending due to soaring prices.」
The annual industry environment is reconfirmed as one in which firm food-service and inbound demand coexist with declining catches, rising costs and slowing at-home consumption. - FY2025-H1Food service remains firm while at-home consumption stagnates and costs riseAnnual report
「In the seafood distribution industry, the food-service sector remained firm, supported by growing inbound demand. At the same time, at-home consumption stagnated as consumers became even more focused on conserving household finances amid rising food, electricity and gas prices resulting from the weaker yen, as well as persistently high energy prices, and difficult conditions continue.」
The food-service sector remains firm on inbound demand, while at-home consumption is stagnating as the weaker yen, higher prices for food and other items, and heightened consumer price consciousness create a combination of recovery and headwinds. - FY2024-Q3Recovery and headwinds coexist, including the continuation of China's import banAnnual report
「In the seafood distribution industry, consumption, particularly in the food-service sector, began to recover as the number of visitors to Japan increased and various events resumed. However, the sales environment remains difficult: catches of wild fish have remained low, while the weaker yen has kept fish prices high, and consumers have become increasingly focused on conserving household finances amid changes in lifestyles and rising prices. In addition, China's import ban on Japanese seafood remains in place, and the outlook continues to be uncertain.」
While the recovery in food-service demand continues, low catches of wild fish, high fish prices due to the weaker yen, consumers' price-consciousness and the continuation of China's import ban on Japanese seafood have been identified, with uncertainty in the sales environment continuing. - FY2024-Q2Recovery in food service and inbound demand alongside high fish prices and heightened consumer price consciousnessAnnual report
「In the seafood distribution industry, consumption, particularly in the food-service sector, began to recover as the number of visitors to Japan increased and various events resumed. However, the sales environment remains difficult: catches of wild fish have remained low, while the weaker yen has also kept fish prices high, and consumers have become increasingly focused on conserving household finances amid changes in lifestyles and rising prices. The impact of the discharge of ALPS-treated water into the ocean is also a concern, and the outlook remains uncertain.」
The recovery in food-service and inbound demand has progressed, while low catches of wild fish, high fish prices due to the weaker yen and heightened consumer price consciousness resulting from rising prices have continued to coexist. - FY2024-Q1Recovery in food-service demand alongside high fish prices and declining purchasing powerAnnual report
「In the seafood distribution industry, declining catches of wild fish and the impact of the weak yen on imported fish have become persistent, while raw material prices and logistics costs have also continued to rise, sustaining high fish prices. On the consumption side, the recovery of events and the increase in visitors to Japan have increased human mobility and food-service demand is recovering, but inflation exceeding wage growth has reduced purchasing power, and conditions remain challenging.」
Food-service demand is recovering, while lower catches of wild fish, the weak yen, higher raw material and logistics costs, and lower purchasing power due to rising prices are occurring concurrently. - FY2023-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「However, overall food prices continued to rise due to higher logistics costs resulting from surging energy prices, the recovery of consumption in other countries and exchange-rate effects. Fish prices also remained high, making it difficult to increase consumption, and changes in lifestyles caused by COVID-19 contributed to continued challenging business conditions.」
While the impact of the pandemic has eased and consumption has recovered, challenging conditions have continued as higher logistics costs, food prices and fish prices have made it difficult to increase consumption. - FY2023-Q2Easing pandemic impact alongside high fish prices and stagnant consumptionAnnual report
「In the seafood distribution industry, the impact of COVID-19 was beginning to ease and consumption gradually recovered. Meanwhile, food prices generally continued to rise due to higher logistics costs resulting from surging energy prices, the weak yen and the recovery of personal consumption in other countries. Fish prices also remained high, and with no prospect of increased consumption, business conditions remained challenging.」
While the impact of the pandemic and consumption were improving, higher logistics costs, broad-based food price increases and high fish prices continued, creating a challenging environment in which increased consumption could not be expected. - FY2023-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「In the seafood distribution industry, high fish prices have continued due to declining natural seafood resources, lower inventories of farmed fish, higher logistics costs, the recovery of personal consumption in other countries and the weakening yen. Although the impact of COVID-19 temporarily eased and demand related to the food-service sector showed signs of recovery, retailers, particularly mass merchandisers, were affected by weaker consumer sentiment caused by rising prices.」
Resource depletion, higher logistics costs, the weak yen, high fish prices and weak retail demand continue, while food-service demand is described as showing signs of recovery. - FY2022WorsenedAnnual report
「In addition to declining natural seafood resources and higher logistics costs, the recovery of personal consumption in other countries and the widening interest-rate differential between Japan and the United States accelerated the depreciation of the yen. Fish prices consequently remained at high levels, resulting in extremely challenging business conditions.」
Declining natural resources, higher logistics costs and the weak yen have combined to sustain high fish prices and prolong and intensify challenging business conditions. - FY2022-Q3WorsenedAnnual report
「In the seafood distribution industry, demand from the food-service sector declined due to COVID-19, and natural seafood resources also decreased. In addition to higher logistics costs, seafood prices, including crab, surged during the year-end peak demand season as personal consumption recovered in other countries. As a result, sales volumes remained sluggish, and seafood distribution failed to recover to pre-pandemic levels, resulting in extremely challenging business conditions.」
The decline in food-service demand and natural seafood resources, higher logistics costs, surging seafood prices and sluggish sales volumes have been described, along with the explicit statement that distribution had not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. - FY2022-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「The seafood distribution industry also faced extremely challenging business conditions due to weak consumption resulting from successive declarations of a state of emergency and priority preventive measures to prevent the spread of disease.」
The challenging industry environment, including weak consumption and sales competition, has continued from the previous quarter. - FY2022-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「Meanwhile, food-service demand remained depressed due to requests for restaurants and other establishments to close or shorten their operating hours. Seafood distribution had not recovered to pre-pandemic levels, resulting in challenging business conditions.」
The challenging industry environment of weak food-service demand and the failure of seafood distribution to recover has been reaffirmed. - FY2021RestatedAnnual report
「Catches of major species such as squid, salmon and Pacific saury were unstable, while the volume handled through wholesale markets declined as seafood distribution diversified, and the decline in seafood consumption continued due to changes in consumer needs. In addition, social and economic activity stagnated as COVID-19 spread from the previous year, and demand for seafood generally declined, particularly in the food-service sector.」
The challenging industry environment of unstable catches, a decline in the volume handled through markets, lower seafood consumption and reduced demand due to the pandemic continues to be described. - FY2021-Q2WorsenedAnnual report
「In the seafood distribution industry, demand for home dining increased somewhat as stay-at-home consumption expanded due to requests to refrain from going out amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, demand from the food-service sector declined substantially as consumers continued to refrain from using restaurants. Seafood distribution, which had declined due to COVID-19, had yet to recover, resulting in challenging business conditions.」
The substantial decline in food-service demand and the failure of seafood distribution to recover have been explicitly identified, showing that the industry's already challenging conditions have become even more severe due to COVID-19. - FY2020WorsenedAnnual report
「The volume handled through wholesale markets has declined as seafood distribution has diversified. In addition, the decline in seafood consumption has continued due to changes in consumer needs.」
The decline in the volume handled through wholesale markets due to diversified distribution channels and the continued decline in domestic seafood consumption have been explicitly identified, indicating increasingly challenging market conditions. - FY2020-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「In the seafood distribution industry, we faced challenging business conditions as global demand for seafood continued to grow, while domestic cargo movement remained sluggish due to lower catches, the effects of a warm winter and other factors.」
Growing global demand for seafood and sluggish domestic cargo movement due to lower domestic catches and a warm winter continue to be described as challenging industry conditions. - FY2020-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「In the seafood distribution industry, we faced challenging business conditions as procurement costs continued to rise due to growing global demand for seafood, while domestic cargo movement remained sluggish partly because of adverse weather conditions.」
The challenging industry environment of higher procurement costs due to global demand for seafood and sluggish domestic cargo movement due to adverse weather conditions continues to be described. - FY2020-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「In the seafood distribution industry, we faced challenging business conditions as procurement prices rose amid increasing global demand for seafood, while domestic cargo movement remained sluggish.」
Higher procurement prices due to growing global demand for seafood and sluggish domestic cargo movement continue to be described as challenging industry conditions. - FY2019RestatedAnnual report
「The share of distribution through wholesale markets has continued to decline, and the number of wholesale markets, wholesalers and intermediate wholesalers has continued to fall, due to the diversification of distribution channels and the growing proportion of products, such as processed goods, that are less frequently handled through wholesale markets.」
The decline in the share of distribution through markets, the reduction in the number of wholesale markets, wholesalers and intermediate wholesalers, and sluggish domestic demand continue to be described as industry conditions. - FY2019-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「In the seafood distribution industry, procurement prices rose with the increase in global demand for seafood, while catches declined due to adverse weather conditions, prolonged warm weather and other factors. Consumer willingness to purchase also declined, resulting in sluggish cargo movement and challenging conditions.」
The challenging industry environment of higher procurement prices due to global demand, lower catches due to weather conditions, declining consumer willingness to purchase and sluggish cargo movement continues to be described. - FY2019-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「In the seafood distribution industry, procurement prices rose with the increase in global demand for seafood, while catches declined due to the effects of extremely hot weather, adverse weather conditions and other factors, resulting in sluggish cargo movement and challenging conditions.」
The challenging industry environment of higher procurement prices due to increasing global demand, lower catches due to extremely hot and adverse weather conditions, and sluggish cargo movement continues to be described. - FY2019-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「In the seafood distribution industry, procurement prices rose with the increase in global demand for seafood, while catches declined due to adverse weather conditions and other factors, resulting in sluggish cargo movement and challenging conditions.」
The challenging industry environment of higher procurement prices due to increasing global demand, lower catches due to adverse weather conditions and sluggish cargo movement continues to be described. - FY2018-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「Catches declined partly due to adverse weather conditions, while procurement prices rose due to increasing global demand for seafood. In addition, consumers' inclination to economise remained strong, resulting in continued challenging conditions.」
The challenging industry environment of lower catches, higher procurement prices driven by global demand and consumers' inclination to economise continues to be described. - FY2018-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「In the seafood distribution industry, procurement prices rose as a result of growing global demand for seafood, while the volume of seafood handled continued to decline, partly due to lower catches. Sales competition also continued to intensify, resulting in a challenging environment.」
The challenging industry environment of higher procurement prices, a declining volume of seafood handled and intensifying sales competition continues to be described. - FY2018-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「As procurement prices for seafood rose due to higher international market prices and other factors, the volume of seafood handled declined. Sales competition also intensified, resulting in a challenging environment.」
The challenging industry environment of higher procurement prices, a declining volume of seafood handled and intensifying sales competition continues to be described. - FY2017RestatedAnnual report
「As procurement prices rose due to intensifying international competition and the effects of unstable landings of wild-caught seafood, the volume of seafood handled remained sluggish due to weak personal consumption and other factors. In addition, the sales competition surrounding the industry continued to intensify, resulting in challenging business conditions.」
International competition, higher procurement prices, weak demand and intensifying sales competition continue to be described as the industry's conditions for the year. - FY2017-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「In the seafood distribution industry, we faced a challenging environment as procurement prices rose due to intensifying international competition and the effects of unstable landings of wild-caught seafood, while consumers showed no increase in their willingness to purchase and the volume of seafood handled remained sluggish.」
The challenging industry environment of international competition, unstable landings, higher procurement prices and sluggish consumer demand continues to be described. - FY2017-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「In the seafood distribution industry, we faced a challenging environment as procurement prices rose due to intensifying international competition and the effects of unstable landings of seafood, while consumers showed no significant increase in their willingness to purchase.」
The challenging industry environment of intensifying international competition, higher procurement prices and sluggish consumer willingness to purchase was described as continuing from the previous quarter. - FY2017-Q1WorsenedAnnual report
「In the seafood distribution industry, we faced a challenging environment as procurement prices for seafood rose amid intensifying international competition, while consumers showed no significant increase in their willingness to purchase.」
Intensifying international competition was explicitly identified as an industry condition during the quarter, creating a challenging environment accompanied by higher procurement prices and sluggish consumption. - FY2016First statedAnnual report
「As the share of distribution through wholesale markets is expected to continue declining」
This is described as a challenge to securing the earnings base, premised on changes in the structure of market distribution.