TOKYO—Tuna brokers at Japan's largest fish market protested a proposed international trade ban on Atlantic bluefin tuna Thursday, saying it would unfairly hit Japan and its massive tuna market.
Raw tuna is a key ingredient in traditional dishes such as sushi and sashimi, and the bluefin variety — called "hon-maguro" here — is particularly prized.
"This is like telling the U.S. to stop eating beef," said Kimio Amano, a 36-year-old broker who has worked at the market for 20 years.
But global stocks of bluefin are dwindling, especially in the Atlantic, and governments around the world are increasingly supporting a complete trade ban to let the fish recover. About 80 percent of the species ends up in Japan.