MEMBER

Founder / CEO

Wakao Hanaoka

After spending over 15 years of his youth in Southeast Asia, Wakao moved to the USA and graduated from the Florida Institute of Technology’s Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences. His illustrious journey in sustainable seafood began in the Maldives and Malaysia. In 2007, he took the helm at Greenpeace Japan, launching and leading the Sustainable Seafood Project with vision and dedication.

Upon establishing his independence, in July 2015, Wakao founded Seafood Legacy Co., Ltd. in Tokyo, marking a new chapter in his mission to preserve the legacy of abundant seafood, a testament to the vital interconnections of marine ecosystems, economy, and society.

Wakao’s strategic vision involves forging robust alliances among a wide spectrum of stakeholders, including the seafood industry, financial sectors, governmental agencies, NGOs, academic institutions, and media, on both national and international stages. His tireless dedication is catalyzing a paradigm shift, positioning environmentally sustainable and socially responsible seafood as the cornerstone of the Japanese and Asian seafood markets. Wakao was named SeaWeb’s Seafood Champion Award Leadership Category in 2019.

 

• Member of the Friends of Ocean Action, World Economic Forum（2021- currently）
• Steering Committee of the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency (2022 ~ currently)
• Founding Member of the IUU Forum Japan (2017 ~ currently)
• Alliance Board member of the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions (2025 ~ currently)
• Expert Advisor of the Cabinet Office Council for Promotion of Regulatory Reform, Fisheries Working Group and Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries Working Group (2017- 2021)
• Committee Member of Fishery Agency Catch Documentation Working Group and Domestic Trade of Specific Marine Animals and Plants Act Working Group (2018 ~ 2021)
• Committee Member of the Fishery Agency, Wide Sea-area Fisheries Adjustment Commission (2018- currently)
• Others

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COO / Vice President

Aiko Yamauchi

After researching fisheries management system and community based management cases in Japan's coastal fisheries, Aiko joined WWF Japan as the Ocean and Fisheries Group Leader. She Joined Seafood Legacy in 2019 and manages the pre-competitive seafood business platform program in collaboration with domestic and international stakeholders.

 Aiko also plays the role of the independent coordinator of the "IUU Forum Japan" which is a coalition of Japan based NGOs group.

Aiko holds a doctor’s degree of marine science from Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology and a bachelor’s degree of fisheries science from Tokyo University of Fisheries.

• Member of the special committee of stock management of Fisheries Policy Council

• Coordinator for Anti- IUU Forum Japan

• Lecturer at Iwate University, Faculty of Agriculture

• Board Member of DIWA Japan

Business Engagement Officer

Ryo Takahashi

Born in Sydney. Ryo majored in Agricultural Economics at Tokyo University of Agriculture. After studying agriculture in the Philippines, he became interested in doing business with foreign countries, and after graduation, he joined a trading company specializing in seafood in Tsukiji. After joining the company, he purchased wild-caught seafood products from South America and other Asian countries and sold them to a number of businesses in Japan and abroad.

Currently, he is working to get people of all ages interested in the seafood industry to balance sustainable seafood and business.

Business Engagement Officer

Kaijun Sun

From China. Have work experience at a Japanese fishery and food trading company and a Norwegian salmon maker. Experienced mainly in import/export/processing/sales of seafood. Also have experience as processing management of overseas factories.

At Seafood Legacy, to optimize the use of domestic fishery resources. Worked on end-user companies to spread sustainable seafood. Also provide sales support to producers using the sales network. I believe that Japan's fisheries industry has great potential.

Communication & Branding Officer

Mariko Arikawa

Mariko studied International Environmental Law at university. Since then, she has worked in public relations for environmental NGOs and organic food companies to increase sustainability through communication. She also has experience as a business coordinator for sustainable consumption-related projects through partnerships with municipalities, businesses, and NGOs.

At Seafood Legacy, she works to increase engagement with diverse sectors through communication to achieve a sustainable and prosperous ocean.

• PR planner (certified by the Japan Public Relations Association)

• Consumer Affairs Advisor (business certification of the Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry)

Communication & Branding Officer

Yukino Tomizuka

While studying law at university, Yukino conducted outreach activities on food and environmental issues to spread the importance of ethical living to consumers. After going on farming-experience trips on islands around Japan, she developed the wish to deliver the passion of farmers who devote themselves to their produce while caring about our planet. In her previous job, Yukino organized agricultural-study tours that focus on sustainability and reducing food loss.

Following her dream since her time in college to be involved with the global reformation of laws and frameworks to protect environmental resources, Yukino joined Seafood Legacy in 2024. She hopes to apply her experience in Gen Z-targeted public relations to collaborate with a wide range of generations.
 

Organizational Operation Officer

Shiori Tashima

After graduating from university, Shiori started working for a wedding company as a wedding planner.

But, after getting married and giving birth, Shiori took the opportunity to change her career path due to her growing interest in becoming involved in jobs that leave the world a better place for future generations.

Since the beginning of 2022, Shiori has joined Seafood Legacy as a back officer, aiming to achieve this company’s inspiring mission and be committed to making its message resonated with more people.

Accounting and Administrative officer

Kanae Sugi

Kanae had been involved in the Independent Living movement of people with disabilities since she was a university student. While assisting people with severe disabilities in their daily lives, they also conducted educational activities, public relations activities, and negotiations with the government, aiming for a “society in which everyone can live with peace of mind.”

After giving birth, Kanae left the nursing care field and joined an accounting firm that supports local small and medium-sized companies. She acquired basic accounting skills there.

She decided to change jobs in order to work at a place where she could feel a greater contribution to society.

In 2023, Kanae joined Seafood Legacy and is in charge of accounting.

Platform Coordinator and Secretary to the Vice President

Yachiyo Kurokawa

After studying at a university in the US, she began her career at an American financial company after returning to Japan. She gained her experience at the Singapore office for two years. She left her job and moved to Brazil to be with her family.

After returning to Japan, she decided to work in the human resources field because she wanted to return the favor to the many people who helped her while living overseas and wanted to do work that could have an impact on people's lives.

Currently, she is mainly involved in recruitment work, and is involved with many companies not only in human resources, but also as a secretary and event coordinator. In 2023, she became a member of Seafood Legacy and worked as a secretary and platform coordinator, using the languages ​​(English, Spanish, and Portuguese) she had cultivated through her overseas experience to interact with people from various backgrounds. 

Event Coordinator

Akino Hasegawa Bellaire

Akino attended an international school in Japan as a child. After working in the advertising and automotive industries, she twice boarded the international NGO Peace Boat’s Global Voyage as a Japanese-English interpreter. Since then she joined the travel agency that coordinated the cruise ship voyages and worked as a land operator, planning and arranging optional tours and directing operations on the day of port calls.

Currently, as an event coordinator for Seafood Legacy, she works on creating opportunities to spread information about sustainable seafood, and for people to connect with each other to develop towards a sustainable world.

Chief Multisectoral Collaboration Officer

Yukiko Kuwata

Yukiko creates and facilitates collaboration among different stakeholders in Japan and around the world—from governments, international NGOs to industry stakeholders—to maximize the effect of efforts to achieve seafood resource sustainability. As part of this role, she is also the coordinator of IUU Forum Japan, a coalition to stop illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Yukiko was a core member of this coalition from December 2019, representing The Nature Conservancy. In the past, Yukiko worked at The Nippon Foundation, where she co-developed, managed and reviewed numerous domestic and global ocean sustainability programs, including the Nereus Program and Seabed 2030.

Yukiko is a veterinarian by training (fully licensed) from the University of Tokyo. She grew up in Tokyo, New York and London.
 

Chief Multisectoral Collaboration Officer

Yukiko Kuwata

Yukiko creates and facilitates collaboration among different stakeholders in Japan and around the world—from governments, international NGOs to industry stakeholders—to maximize the effect of efforts to achieve seafood resource sustainability. As part of this role, she is also the coordinator of IUU Forum Japan, a coalition to stop illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Yukiko was a core member of this coalition from December 2019, representing The Nature Conservancy. In the past, Yukiko worked at The Nippon Foundation, where she co-developed, managed and reviewed numerous domestic and global ocean sustainability programs, including the Nereus Program and Seabed 2030.

Yukiko is a veterinarian by training (fully licensed) from the University of Tokyo. She grew up in Tokyo, New York and London.