3. The fall of Saipan in June 1944 and the American invasion 

 of Iwo Jima in February 1945 prevented further Japanese whaling in Bonin 

 waters. 



D « Negotiations Leading to Authorization of Japanese Whaling Around 

 the Bonin Islands ~~ ~~ 



1. The Bonin Islands are outside the area in which the Japanese 

 were authorized to fish during the immediate post-war period (Appendix l) 

 Steps for resuming whaling around the Bonin and Volcano Islands were in- 

 itiated by the Japanese government 8 November 1945 in a petition to the 

 Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. The approval requested was to 

 apply from 1 Nov 45 to 31 May 46. 



Initial flensing operation after a humpback whale has 

 been dragged aboard the irother ship. 



2. Petitions for whaling bases at Takinoura on Anijima and at 

 Higashidai Kitamura on Hahajima were disapproved. The Japanese govern- 

 ment then indicated that a base of operations could be established at 

 Hachijojima, an island 425 miles northwest of the Bonin6 and within the 

 authorized fishing zone. However, this island was considered too distant 

 from the whaling grounds to be practical as a whaling base. 



3. Japan had participated in various international whaling 

 conferences but had not ratified any of the conventions or agreements. 

 By order of the Supreme Commander 8 November 1945, the Japanese whaling 

 industry was bound by the provisions prescribed in these agreements 

 (Appendix II) . 



4. As means of alleviating the critical food shortage in Japan 

 the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers approved resumption of Japa- 

 nese whaling in the Bonin Islands for one season on 30 November 1945 

 (Appendix III). Salient provisions of the directive were: 



10 



