Japan Will Task Prison Inmates to Shuck Scallops — Because China Won’t

Desperate times call for desperate measures. In Japan’s case, that means using prisoners as scallop-shuckers.

By Himari Semans

Japan relied on China to shuck its scallops for foreign exports. But China’s recent ban on Japanese seafood imports changed all that. Now, Japan’s government is looking to the country’s prison inmates to take over the task.

Officials consider dispatching inmates

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF) is reportedly cooperating with the Ministry of Justice to task prison inmates with shucking scallops. It’s a job China had taken care of. That was until it banned all seafood imports from Japan following the Fukushima water release this summer.

Exiting a cabinet meeting last week, MAFF Minister Ichiro Miyashita (宮下一郎) confirmed the plan to reporters on October 20th. “(We are) cooperating with the Ministry of Justice to weigh the possibility of dispatching (inmates) outside the prison.”

Officials say that shucking scallops on prison grounds is not an ideal option. Such produce will not qualify for the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)…