Food · Fermented foods

Mekajiki (Swordfish)

めかじき (Mekajiki)

Also known as: Mekajiki, Swordfish, Broadbill, Xiphias gladius, 目梶木, メカジキ

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At a glance

Category	Food
Japanese labeling name	めかじき生 / 焼き
Common Japanese notations	めかじき, 目梶木, メカジキ, カジキマグロ (商業名)
Origin	Swordfish (Xiphias gladius); pelagic ocean fish; principal domestic landings Miyagi (Kesennuma — Japan's volume center for swordfish), Wakayama, Shizuoka, Kanagawa; widely sold as 'kajiki-maguro' commercial name; defining western-style steak fish in Japan; Kesennuma swordfish is iconic Sanriku-coast premium category
Typical functions	Western-style steak preparation — defining 'meat-like' fish in Japan, Teriyaki-yaki preparation, Smoked mekajiki premium retail, Foodservice fillet supply, Kasu-zuke / saikyo-yaki marinades
Regulatory status in Japan	Standard food labeling. Origin disclosure required. Modern naming guidance prefers 'mekajiki' over 'kajiki-maguro'. Fish JAS-recommended-disclosure allergen consideration. Mercury moderate-to-high — 厚生労働省 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) pregnancy-advisory: limit kajiki/mekajiki to 80g/week.

Mekajiki (めかじき / 目梶木) is swordfish (Xiphias gladius) — Japan's defining western-style steak fish. Kesennuma is the volume center. Steak, teriyaki, smoke-cure, kasu-zuke applications. **厚生労働省 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) mercury pregnancy-advisory: limit to 80g/week.**

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Classification

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Product applications

Functions

Flavoring486

Regulatory tags

Culinary ingredient512

Origin

Animal-derived87

Common OEM product categories

Finished-product categories where Japanese OEM manufacturers commonly formulate with this ingredient.

Fresh mekajiki steak retail (volume retail fish steak)
Frozen fillet B2B (foodservice steak channel — major)
Smoked mekajiki specialty
Marinade-prepared retail

Ingredient profile

Xiphias gladius swordfish.

OEM applications

Western-style steak (defining 'meat-like' fish).

Teriyaki-yaki.

Smoked retail premium.

Foodservice fillet supply.

Kasu-zuke / saikyo-yaki marinade.

For OEM: retail fillet/steak, foodservice frozen, smoked specialty, marinade-prepared.

Regulatory classification in Japan

Standard food labeling. Origin disclosure.

Modern naming prefers 'mekajiki' over 'kajiki-maguro'.

**Fish JAS-recommended-disclosure allergen consideration.**

**Mercury 厚生労働省 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) pregnancy-advisory: limit to 80g/week.**

Regulatory classification in other markets

EU	Fish EU-mandatory allergen. Mercury monitoring (EFSA).
USA	Fish allergen disclosure. FDA mercury advisory — pregnant women avoid swordfish.
China	Established premium import market.
Korea	Established premium import market.

Market reference formulations

Example finished products will be added after verification.

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Alternative ingredients

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Makajiki

Quick answers

What is Mekajiki (Swordfish)?: Mekajiki (めかじき / 目梶木) is swordfish (Xiphias gladius) — Japan's defining western-style steak fish. Kesennuma is the volume center. Steak, teriyaki, smoke-cure, kasu-zuke applications. **厚生労働省 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) mercury pregnancy-advisory: limit to 80g/week.**
What is the regulatory status of Mekajiki (Swordfish) in Japan?: Standard food labeling. **Origin disclosure required.** Modern naming guidance prefers 'mekajiki' over 'kajiki-maguro'. **Fish JAS-recommended-disclosure allergen consideration.** **Mercury moderate-to-high — 厚生労働省 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) pregnancy-advisory: limit kajiki/mekajiki to 80g/week.**
What products typically use Mekajiki (Swordfish)?: Fresh mekajiki steak retail (volume retail fish steak) / Frozen fillet B2B (foodservice steak channel — major) / Smoked mekajiki specialty / Marinade-prepared retail
Where does Mekajiki (Swordfish) come from?: Swordfish (Xiphias gladius); pelagic ocean fish; principal domestic landings Miyagi (Kesennuma — Japan's volume center for swordfish), Wakayama, Shizuoka, Kanagawa; widely sold as 'kajiki-maguro' commercial name; **defining western-style steak fish** in Japan; **Kesennuma swordfish is iconic Sanriku-coast premium category**
What is the INCI / JSCI labeling name for Mekajiki (Swordfish)?: JSCI: めかじき生 / 焼き

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References

文部科学省 (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) Standard Tables of Food Composition — めかじき生 / 焼き

Last updated: 2026-04-28. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.