Our Business
SERVICES
Creating a healthy cycle for the ocean, people, and food.
Sanko has grown alongside the seas of Okinawa. Starting from the Okinawa office of a Kochi-based shipyard, we have handled everything in-house—from tuna fishing and purchasing to processing and sales. We are proud to hold three "No. 1 in Okinawa Prefecture" titles.
Purchasing volume of tuna. Scale of our fresh fish processing plant. And the size of our tuna fishing fleet. With these overwhelming advantages, Sanko continues to lead the fisheries industry in Okinawa.
Sanko is a company dedicated to "food" as well as to "people." We are a multinational team that includes around 60 members from Indonesia. As a Registered Support Organization for Specified Skilled Workers, we support the careers and daily lives of foreign talent.
Decreasing fish consumption. Shifting fishing grounds. A shortage of successors. The environment surrounding the fisheries industry is certainly not easy. Even so, we believe in this beautiful ocean and in the future of people who never stop taking on challenges. From Okinawa, we are nurturing that potential for the world.
SERVICE 1Foreign Talent Placement & Support
Working together with colleagues from across the sea.
Sanko is a multinational team with about 60 members from Indonesia, including Specified Skilled Worker (ii) holders. Leveraging our expertise in employing foreign personnel, we have introduced and supported more than 4,500 foreign workers to over 100 companies for over 20 years.
As a Registered Support Organization, we provide end-to-end support, from recruitment preparation to post-arrival living support and eventual return home. We also help workers settle in comfortably by consulting on building workplace environments where foreign talent can thrive. We value not just working, but ensuring they can live in Japan with peace of mind. We consider this to be a vital part of supporting our people.
SERVICE 2Vessel Operations
Supporting Okinawa's food culture from the sea.
Operating the largest tuna fishing fleet in Okinawa Prefecture, Sanko runs its own longline fishing vessels dedicated to tuna. In the waters of coral reefs, we carefully catch tuna one fish at a time. It is work that supports Okinawa's fresh tuna culture straight from the open sea. We also manage "Maru-ship" fishing vessel operations, in which foreign crew members board Japanese tuna vessels. To ensure smooth operations, we coordinate closely with shipowners and overseas agencies, taking care of entry/exit procedures, documentation, and medical or everyday needs of the crew.
SERVICE 3Wholesale Brokerage
Assessing the true value of wild fresh tuna.
We instantly judge the freshness, fat content, size, and condition of tuna landed at the fishing port. The work of an intermediary wholesaler is more than just procurement—it is discovering the value of the sea's bounty and passing it on to the dining table. The tuna won at auction by brokers with seasoned eyes and rich experience moves on to our processing plant, retail shops, and supermarkets. Catching, processing, and delivering—because Sanko handles every step, our role as a broker serves as an essential starting point supporting Okinawa's seas and cuisine.
SERVICE 4Seafood Processing
Bringing food to the table with our own hands.
At our plant near headquarters, we process and manufacture products focused on fresh tuna. Built in 2007 in Nishizaki-cho, Itoman City, our food processing facility is one of the premier facilities in the prefecture, equipped with HACCP-compliant hygiene and quality control systems. While thoroughly managing everything from raw material intake to production and shipping, we deliver high-quality products across Okinawa, throughout Japan, and overseas. Serving as the fresh fish center for major local supermarkets and the production hub for our original products, we bring Okinawa's delicious flavors to everyday dining tables.
What We Can Do
- Fresh & Frozen Fish Processing
- Centering on fresh tuna, we perform seafood processing such as slicing and cutting tailored to your intended use and delivery format.
- Packaging & Product Commercialization
- We handle everything from packaging to labeling in formats that are easy to sell in supermarkets, food service establishments, or our own stores.
- Commercial Food Production
- We can process seafood to meet specifications that are easy to use in restaurants, facilities, and school lunches.
- Manufacturing Based on Quality & Hygiene Control
- Under a hygiene management system compliant with HACCP, we thoroughly oversee every step from receiving raw materials to manufacturing and shipping.
- Reliable Supply Across and Outside Okinawa
- We supply products to supermarkets, food service providers, our own retail shops and restaurants, large amusement facilities in the prefecture, and school lunch programs.
Product Categories
- Processed Fresh Tuna
- Processed to suit your needs, including sashimi grade, saku blocks, slices, cut-offs, and negitoro (minced tuna).
- Processed Frozen Tuna
- We process frozen tuna, which can be supplied with consistent quality, to match various specifications.
- Sashimi Products
- Carefully prepared for supermarkets and retail stores, prioritizing visual appeal and peak freshness.
- Ingredients for Prepared Foods & Dining
- We process seafood used in restaurants and our own shops into easy-to-cook formats.
- Ingredients for School Lunches & Facilities
- We manufacture products like tuna cutlets adhering to specifications that prioritize safety and ease of handling for school lunch programs and large-scale facilities.
- Original In-House Products
- To deliver the authentic deliciousness of Okinawa, we also focus on developing our own unique products.
Processing Flow
Receiving and Inspecting Raw Materials
We receive raw materials, primarily fresh tuna, and carefully inspect their freshness, condition, and specifications.
Preparation and Processing
In our strictly hygiene-managed facility, we handle cutting, slicing, shaping, and other custom processing tailored to our customers' needs.
Packaging and Shipping
Each product is packaged and packed to preserve peak quality, then shipped to clients both within and outside Okinawa Prefecture.
Our primary destinations include supermarkets in Okinawa and across Japan, our own stores and restaurants, major amusement facilities in the prefecture, and school lunch programs. We deliver safe and reliable processed seafood products to a wide range of settings, from everyday dining tables to tourist attractions and schools.
SERVICE 5Restaurant Operations
A place to savor the seasonal flavors of Okinawa.
Starting with "Maguroya Miikagan at Michi-no-Eki Itoman," Santaka operates restaurants and fresh fish shops across Okinawa Prefecture. Fresh tuna caught right in the waters of Okinawa—we want more people to experience its true, natural flavor. Driven by this passion, we run dining spots where you can enjoy fresh seafood on the spot, as well as fish markets that serve your daily meals. For local residents and visitors alike, our venues are welcoming spaces to experience the vibrant charm of Okinawa's seasonal catch firsthand.