In this study, we conducted a consumer evaluation of quality visualization as an example of “Toshijima Toro Sawara” branding. We classified the questionnaire respondents into several groups with similar choice behaviors through a latent class logit model is applied to the choice experiment. A group that evaluated brands with measurements of fat content was identified. This group consisted of a higher proportion of students and a lower proportion of middle aged and older people (student parents) than the other groups. The percentage of respondents who had eaten or known “Toshijima Toro Sawara” was low, but the percentage in this group accounted for greater than 40% of the total. Therefore, we suggest the effectiveness of quality visualization and the importance of targeting young people.

On July 1, 2019, Japan resumed commercial whaling for the first time in 31 years. Since the time of the previous research whaling, how to effectively utilize unused parts of whales has been a matter of concern, and in order to carry out a verification test for that purpose, industry-government-academia related organizations and organizations in Shimonoseki 2019 In August of the year, the Shimonoseki Regional Whale Oil Advanced Utilization Industry-Government-Academia Collaboration Promotion Council was established. For three years from 2019, the Council will prototype fish feed using whale oil and fertilizer produced from whalebone as a project of the Institute of Cetacean Research using a subsidy from the Fisheries Agency, and test the results and cost estimation. We have conducted research and have been working toward commercialization in the future. Efforts to effectively utilize unused parts of whales have just begun, but they have various possibilities that will lead to regional development.