Sushi Economy
John Long
MBA 58001 International Business
Professor Sharp
12/5/10
Sushi Economy This book critique is on the book, “The Sushi Economy: Globalization and the Making of a modern delicacy.” by Sasha Issenberg. This is a Fact based book about the sudden explosion of the availability of Sushi and Tuna to the world. The book takes you through the changes in the economies and cultures on display. The book follows several key people and events in the story of the globalization of Sushi. Several years ago Sushi restaurants were tough to find in a suburb or in the Midwest. Sushi was historically associated with the very wealthy and affluent people of America, however in Japan it was a staple as easily locatable as a hotdog in New York. The book is separated into 4 different parts. The first section is about the freight economy, the second is the food economy then the fish economy and finally the future economy. To summarize the book I will discuss each section. Japan Airlines is the major player in the Fish Freight economy. In the 70’s Japan Airline was used to transport fish from Canada to the Japanese fish market. There was not a big market for tuna. It was fish that was not readily available for the Japanese economy. Japan had strict import and export rules so it was discovered that all these planes leaving Japan full were returning virtually empty to the Tarmacs in Japan.
The major issue with raw fish is that as soon as the fish is out of water it is continually losing value. The Fish Economy was steady for the Cod fisherman and the lobster and shrimpers. Tuna was seen as a nuisance to fisherman. They destroy nets and is a worthless meat yielding only a few bucks a pound. Sushi is an intimate meal with a precisely trained chef and restaurant diners. The typically Sushi spot was composed of several diners sitting at a bar eating what the chef that knows them by name prepares. The relationship between the chef/owner and the patrons is very
MBA 58001 International Business
Professor Sharp
12/5/10
Sushi Economy This book critique is on the book, “The Sushi Economy: Globalization and the Making of a modern delicacy.” by Sasha Issenberg. This is a Fact based book about the sudden explosion of the availability of Sushi and Tuna to the world. The book takes you through the changes in the economies and cultures on display. The book follows several key people and events in the story of the globalization of Sushi. Several years ago Sushi restaurants were tough to find in a suburb or in the Midwest. Sushi was historically associated with the very wealthy and affluent people of America, however in Japan it was a staple as easily locatable as a hotdog in New York. The book is separated into 4 different parts. The first section is about the freight economy, the second is the food economy then the fish economy and finally the future economy. To summarize the book I will discuss each section. Japan Airlines is the major player in the Fish Freight economy. In the 70’s Japan Airline was used to transport fish from Canada to the Japanese fish market. There was not a big market for tuna. It was fish that was not readily available for the Japanese economy. Japan had strict import and export rules so it was discovered that all these planes leaving Japan full were returning virtually empty to the Tarmacs in Japan.
The major issue with raw fish is that as soon as the fish is out of water it is continually losing value. The Fish Economy was steady for the Cod fisherman and the lobster and shrimpers. Tuna was seen as a nuisance to fisherman. They destroy nets and is a worthless meat yielding only a few bucks a pound. Sushi is an intimate meal with a precisely trained chef and restaurant diners. The typically Sushi spot was composed of several diners sitting at a bar eating what the chef that knows them by name prepares. The relationship between the chef/owner and the patrons is very