The Japanese jack mackerel, known in Japanese as aji, and also as Japanese horse mackerel or Japanese scad (Trachurus japonicus), is a small bony fish found in the ocean waters around Japan. It is not a true mackerel but is in fact a member of the Carangidae, which includes jacks, pompanos, trevallies, and scads.
The Japanese term aji (あじ) covers all horse mackerel species, but generally implies Trachurus japonicus; the more specific term ma-aji (まあじ), "true aji", can be used. It is a common seafood, fried as "aji furai" (あじフライ) or salt-grilled as "shioyaki aji" (塩焼きあじ).
