nSHEEIES EDUCATION AND EESiSAHCH IN JAPAN ]J 



A. Introduction 



1. Japan, because of its dense population, meager food resources, 

 and insular position, was driven by necessity to become a fishing nation. 

 Fish supply most of the animal protein and a considerable eaount of the 

 fat in the Japanese diet. The Japanese developed into such skillful 

 fishermen and extended their fishing grounds so far afield that they were 

 able to produce for many years prior to 1941, not only enough fish for 

 their ovm consiomption, but developed a vigorous fish export trade as well. 



2. In keeping with the great importance of the fisheries in 

 Japan, the educational system of the coxintry and the research facilities 

 In fisheries biology and technology have received more attention and 

 government support than in any other country in the world. 



o. All the elementary schools in Japan teach about fish in 

 their natural history courses. When a student is graduated from the 

 elementary school, he may attend any one of 52 middle fisheries schools. 

 These are known as Prefectural Fisheries Schools (Kenritsu Suisan Gakko). 

 The schools are located so that nearly every prefecture with fishery 

 interests has one or more. The middle fisheries schools are designed to 

 train students to be expert fishermen, cannery foremen, net-makers, and 

 for other semispecialized jobs. G-raduates from the prefectural fisheries 

 schools are eligible to enter the fisheries colleges. 



4. The two fisheries colleges in Japan are the Hakodate 

 Fisheries College in Hakodate, Hokkaido, and the Tokyo Fisheries College 

 in Tokyo 2/« These colleges offer three- to five-year courses in coastal 

 fisheries, fisheries technology, aquicult\ire, and teacher training. The 

 physical plants of both institutions are now being used as billets for 

 occupation troops. The colleges continue to operate, however, in tempo- 

 rary quarters. 



5. In addition to the fishery schools and colleges, three of 



1/ The information presented in this report (No. 37) was gathered and 

 compiled by Capt John L. Kask, Fisheries Division, Natural Resources 

 Section, General Headquarters, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, 

 Tokyo, 1946. (Reproduced by permission of the Civil Affairs Division, 

 War Department). 



2/ Until April 1946 the Tokyo Fisheries College was known as the 



Imperial Fisheries Institute. '^ 



-Ty<?7 



