🚨 JAPAN’S SCALLOP FARMS STRUGGLE AS WATERS WARM. Japan’s scallop industry is facing a new test. After cutting its dependence on China following Beijing’s import ban on Japanese seafood, farmers now see rising ocean temperatures hurting production. Warmer waters have reduced survival rates and slowed growth, especially in key farming regions like Hokkaido. The shift comes at a sensitive moment. Japan has worked to diversify buyers, boost domestic processing, and expand exports to the U.S. and Southeast Asia. Those efforts helped soften the blow of China’s ban, which began nearly three years ago. But climate pressure is harder to escape. Producers warn that unstable water conditions could push costs up and shrink supply. Some cooperatives are testing new farming methods and monitoring systems to adapt. Others say long‑term risks may reshape the entire sector if warming trends continue. Japan’s scallop industry is a major part of its seafood economy, and the stakes are high. The country harvested more than 500,000 tons of scallops in recent peak years, making it one of the world’s top producers. Any sustained drop in output could affect global markets and local communities that rely on the trade. The challenge now is balancing recovery from trade disruptions with a fast‑changing climate that threatens the foundation of the industry itself.