The Guardian article, which largely recaps the info. available in Japanese newspaper (no surprise there) doesn't say Fukui University. But the Yomiuri report does.
I noticed a sign up on the wall of the Fukui University co-op (I teach at the place).

I highly doubt the bluegill is as popular in the US as Dave Spector says. And the reason it doesn't catch on in Japan is that most Japanese don't eat much freshwater fish, especially ones from stagnant water.

Charles,

I agree that the bluegill isn't popular here in the US as a normal food staple, but I will say that every once in a while in the summer I keep a few and fry them in butter. They're not so bad... I also agree that I'd much rather be eating some Toro, then a bluegill from a nasty pond.

One interesting note on cultural differences and eating habits for freshwater fish. Now in the US, especially in the South, I have eaten catfish many times. (I believe these are usually farmed channel cats, not the bullheads). But I don't know any Japanese who have eaten this sort of fish (and the lower rivers have several species that are very similar to the channel cat). On the other hand, coming from the very same waters, many Japanese love to eat eel, especially in mid-to-late summer. They way they do it here, it is very tasty. But most Americans I know have never eaten the eel taken from rivers. (But one note, since demand in Japan exceeds supply, Japan imports farmed eel from Taiwan and China.)