# 90% of Hiroshima oysters die, threatening Japan’s supply 2026-08-13T09:41:36+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Up to 90% of farmed oysters in Hiroshima Prefecture have died this season, far exceeding the usual 30-50% loss, the Times of India reports. The disaster has brought Japan's agriculture minister Norikazu Suzuki to the region, as Hiroshima produces nearly 60% of Japan's farmed oysters. Farmers like Tatsuya Morio and Shuji Yamane reported fewer than one in 10 oysters survived, forcing cancellation of gift orders through Kure's furusato nozei tax scheme. Officials are investigating causes including rising sea temperatures, reduced rainfall, high salinity and low oxygen. Professor Kazuhiko Koike of Hiroshima University links warmer waters to oxygen starvation near the seabed. Last year was Japan's hottest summer on record, at 2.36 degrees Celsius above normal. The government has introduced low-interest loans, but farmers say these do not address the root environmental cause. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: climate impact, fisheries crisis, Hiroshima oysters, Japan aquaculture, oyster die-off, sea temperature Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/90-of-hiroshima-oysters-die-threatening-japans-supply/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/90-of-hiroshima-oysters-die-threatening-japans-supply/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.