Japan's appetite for eel could see it share fate of bluefin tuna

Diners eat eel for an energy boost in summer, but its popularity has depleted stocks

Oversized inflatable plastic eels dangle from the ceiling of a supermarket in Tokyo as late afternoon shoppers inspect the real thing - beautifully packaged and prominently displayed - on the shelves below.

In specialist restaurants run by generations of the same families, diners eat sweetened broiled eel, which is thought to take the edge off the heat and humidity of a Japanese summer.