WATCH: Japanese Diver Greets His Fish Friend of 25 Years with a Kiss on the Forehead

By Ammar Haziq  •  06 May 2020 in JUICE ♥

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While it’s common to have a cat or a dog as your best friend, one Japanese diver has an unlikely relationship with his fish friend, named Yoriko.

Japanese diver, Hiroyuki Arawaka met Yoriko, an Asian sheepshead wrasse, 25 years ago when he was tasked with looking after the Shinto religion’s shrine called torii, located on the surface of Japan’s Tateyama Bay.

Since their meeting almost three decades ago, Arawaka has been visiting Yoriko and greeting his friend with a kiss on the forehead ’cause… that’s just how they greet each other.

Though it’s common to not think of fishes as sentient beings, a scientific study shows that the creatures are able to recognise human faces. In an interview with CNN, Dr. Cait Newport of Oxford University explains that:

“Scientists presented the fish with two images of human faces and trained them to choose one by spitting their jets at that picture. The researchers decided to make things a little harder. They took the pictures and made them black and white and evened out the head shapes. You’d think that would throw the fish for a loop. But no, they were able to pick the familiar face even then — and with more accuracy: 86%!”

Like pigs, this study shows that fish are smarter than previously thought, and the video of Arawaka and his friendship with Yoriko solidifies the notion that fish can be friends, not just food.

Hey, maybe it’s time to talk to your pet goldfish instead of letting them lose their minds in a bowl…

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