ABOUT US

After working in marine conservation in the Maldives and Malaysia, Wakao joined Greenpeace Japan as a Senior Ocean Campaigner, where he started the Sustainable Seafood Market Project. Later, Wakao founded Seafood Legacy in Tokyo in 2015, to build Japan-centric solutions for seafood sustainability by addressing the importance of domestic business-led initiatives to create a driving force for regulatory reforms.

• Expert Advisor of the Cabinet Office Council for Promotion of Regulatory Reform Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries Working Group


• Committee Member of Fishery Agency Catch Documentation Working Group


• Committee Member of the Fishery Agency, Wide Sea-area Fisheries Adjustment Commission


• Steering board member of Global Sustainable Seafood Initiatives (GSSI)


• Recipient of 2019 SeaWeb Seafood Champion Award Leadership Category

Shunji leads the strategic development and implementation of programs at Seafood Legacy as COO/ Vice President. He maintains strong relationships with Japanese fishery communities, seafood business, and key Japanese NGOs, working closely with these stakeholders to co-develop solutions that lead to improved fishing practices and improved fishery-based livelihoods. Responsible for the launch Japan’s first ever FIP and AIP, he has pioneered the improvement model in Japan. He has served as a moderator and panelist on numerous domestic and international sustainable seafood forums such as the SeaWeb Seafood Summit, etc. Prior to O2, Shunji led the Japan Program for Wild Salmon Center and Ocean Outcomes as Japan Program Director where he worked with wide range of stakeholders from fishery to government on fisheries improvements.

• Steering Board Member of Scaling Blue, LLC


• Member of Japan Fishery Agency Promotion Committee of Development of Aquaculture Industrialization

Born in Tokyo. After studying coastal fisheries resource management and operation, Aiko joined WWF Japan Conservation team as a fisheries officer. At WWF Japan, Aiko focused on engaging domestic and international stakeholders to collaborate and promote sustainable fisheries and smart management of ocean resources. She also led a joint marine conservation project of WWF Japan, Chile, Indonesia, and China. After Aiko joined Seafood Legacy, she is in charge of strategy development and technical implementation for both Fishery Program and Business Engagement Program. Aiko holds a doctorate degree from Graduate School of Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology.

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


• External reviewer of SH”U”N project by The National Research and Development Agency, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency


• Coordinator for Anti- IUU Forum in Japan


• Lecturer at Iwate University, Faculty of Agriculture


• Lecturer at Hosei University, Graduate School of Public Policy and Social Governance

Throughout his academic career at the University of Washington, Hiroki studied political economy and sustainability under the course of Global Studies. After graduation, he returned to his hometown, Uwajima-city, Ehime-Prefecture and joined his family-owned fisheries wholesale and manufacturing company and gained experience as a sales representative. Inspired by the sustainable seafood movement, Hiroki joined Seafood Legacy with a passion to establish a sustainability-oriented market in Japan. With his strong knowledge of seafood supply chain, Hiroki provides consultation services to domestic and international clients as well as arranging workshops to promote sustainable business practices to Japanese stakeholders.

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.

With nearly 20 years in the resource management field, Haruko is passionate about finding creative and collaborative ways of resource use while maintaining a healthy ecosystem. She has worked on the stock assessment of Seychelles’ sea cucumber fishery for her Ph.D. project as well as for other reef fisheries in Palau and Colombia. She also worked with CI and TNC to develop fishery resource use surveys to help establish Hawaii’s community-based management areas. After receiving her Ph.D., Haruko went on to work for the Division of Aquatic Resources in Hawaii as their biometrician. There, she worked on collecting and analyzing biomonitoring data to inform fishery management. She was also assigned as the Western Pacific Fishery Council’s ecosystem plan team member and worked on ecosystem-based fishery management options. At Seafood Legacy, Haruko is working on developing FIP and AIP projects, searching for the sustainable fishery management style that suits the unique fishery management system in Japan.

Born and raised by Japanese parents in Los Angeles, Louie has lived a natively Japanese-English bilingual life from his youth. He obtained his Bachelors of Science degree in environmental science with an emphasis on marine and coastal ecology at California State University, Monterey Bay. Upon graduating, Louie worked as an STEM educator and counselor at a nonprofit organization while volunteering as a Guest Experience Volunteer Guide at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, educating visitors from around the world about marine biology, ecology and sustainable seafood. Louie moved to Japan in 2016 to join Ocean Outcomes (O2) where he supported FIP/AIP development. He currently works within the Fishery Program at Seafood Legacy to continue the work of advancing sustainability of Japanese fisheries.

Kazumi is in charge of back-office operations. She contributes to the growth and capacity building of individuals and the organization. Kazumi graduated from Yokohama National University, The Faculty of Education and Human Sciences.

• Certified Professional Co-Active Coach

After studying morphological taxonomy in university, Miki coordinated several Japanese eel conservation project at a university laboratory. Aiming to raise awareness for sustainable seafood by interweaving science and society, Miki joined Seafood Legacy and leading communication and PR projects.

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)