1. Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, has experienced a large-scale death of farmed oysters this season, with some farmers losing up to 90% of their stock.
2. Fisheries Minister Suzuki Norikazu visited affected oyster farms in Higashihiroshima City and was briefed on the damage. He promised support for the struggling farmers and called for an investigation into the cause of the deaths.
3. Similar cases of shellfish deaths have been reported in other prefectures around the Seto Inland Sea, according to Japan's Fisheries Agency. Minister Suzuki emphasized the need to find out why this happened and promised to collaborate with local municipalities to provide assistance.