KAI Yoshifumi is the Chairman of Japan Small-Type Whaling Association (JSTWA), and the managing director of Taiji Fisheries Co-operative Association (TFCA). Born and brought up in Taiji, he has enjoyed and respected the long-standing Taiji whaling tradition and food culture.Read more
Being also well-versed with coastal fisheries in general, he started to work with the TFCA management in 1981. He has taken a strong leadership in TFCA’s various activities and contributed greatly to rebuilding the deficit-ridden FCA. He was in charge of guiding TFCA’s cetacean drive fishery for many years. He played a key role in changing the killing method, which resulted in substantial shortening of the time to death. In 2017, besides working for TFCA, he became JSTWA’s Chairman and worked hard for the resumption of commercial minke whaling. Recently, he was among the core member group who planned and set up a “road station” and related facilities in Taiji where visitors can experience Taiji’s whaling tradition and cuisine. From 2017 to 2020, he served as its first station manager and developed various whale and dolphin dishes for the restaurant.