Minako is the only famous celebrity that I have been in contact for years. She is someone I deeply admire and respect. She is living a life that has been handed to her and using it to make the world a better place as marine resource sustainability effort through her position of the CEO and director of Sailors for the Sea Japan.
I first met Minako in 2012 when she was identified by Packard Foundation to be one of few advocates for sustainable seafood in Japan. At that time, she just started up her NPO, Sailors for the Sea Japan. I was a part of Japan seafood sustainability community research team mainly as culture and language expert and to support. When we welcomed community members at the hotel lobby to welcome them for Monterey Bay Aquarium to attend the annual Seafood Watch event, she stood out, looking very posh with styled hair, make-up and fine luxury skirt ensemble in off white. She was model thin, stood poised as a woman who was trained to be noticed and hide her true ability at the same time.
My role as a Japan seafood sustainability community researcher ended after Packard Foundation’s seafood sustainability effort moved on to the new phase, and my service as culture and language specialist has been needed less in recent years. Although the interaction I had with Minako was limited after I was no longer an active part of the Packard Foundation’s research, we stayed in touch through Facebook. I would occasionally ask her for help by participating in my research projects, andＩ would occasionally ask her for help by participating in my research projects, and she sometimes asked me to support her with English-Japanese language needs.
One of the event I supported her was when she first launched the Seafood Sustainability advocacy fund raising event, “Blue Seafood Guide Charity Dinner”. She asked me to support her event as English-Japanese interpreter, and I was happy to oblige. That was 12 years ago. Since then, she made the Blue Seafood Guide in Japan science backed sustainable seafood list for Japanese consumers. The charity event became a glitzy fund raising event with growing roster of prominent, globally recognized people. Politicians, scholars, artists, scientists, socialites and royalties. When Minako requested, they came.
Minako wasn’t shy about promoting her cause. I sensed that she genuinely cared about saving the ocean so that the children of the future will be able to enjoy seafood and beautiful ocean. With that drive, she entered Kyoto University PhD program for sustainability. She did all this while supporting her two sons education and managing their college entrance and continuing education. Meanwhile, she continued writing for magazines like Forbs and 25ans. One year, she was recognized as one of most influential women of the world. And she earned her PhD. Her growing circle of sycophant kept on growing, but her focus on seafood sustainability did not waver.
Just recently, she was in charge of Osaka Expo 2025 Blue Ocean Dome exhibit for one week, bringing together dazzling sustainability giants from all over the world. I was truly honored to support her as an interpreter for her Expo events. As Minako’s influence continues to grow, because like me, people she meets realizes that she genuinely cares and want to do all she can.
In my little way, I am promoting the Blue Seafood Guide at my cafe with the hope that our children and all the future children will have the beautiful ocean and its bounties.
FUJIKO SUDA 