It was only a matter of time before a deep pocketed Chinese...

It was only a matter of time before a deep pocketed Chinese investor made a deal with SFG. The Japanese were smart enough to pre-empt. Given how Japanese companies closely network with their government and commercial banks, it is quite possible Nippon Suisan could act as a conduit for soft loans in the project phase. They have an incentive to come forth with equity or loan fundings to keep their stake.

For the Japanese, it is not prawn per se that matters - Chinese and Vietnamese prawn production dwarfs what Australia produces and will be cheaper and fresher given the proximity. Rather, it is the good old clean and green image that has made a success of the dairy exports that is the key.