Sardinella zunasi (Japanese sardinella or Japanese scaled sardine) is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Clupeidae, the herrings and sardines. It is native to the northwestern Pacific Ocean, where it occurs near shore along the Asian coastlines from southern Japan to Taiwan. This fish is usually around 10 centimeters long at maturity. It is usually slender, but its body shape is somewhat variable. This is a commercially important fish in Japan and China. It has been heavily fished and is considered an overexploited resource. It is also commonly found in fishery bycatch.