2. FISHERIES (See Plate'll) 



a. General statement 



(1) Prior to World War II Japan was the foremost fishing 

 country in the world. 



(a) Annual catches in home waters were 2,500,000 to 

 3,500,000 metric tons; catches overseas Including 

 those of colonial waters amounted to an additional 

 2,000,000 to 3,500,000 tons. Total Japanese pro- 

 duction of marine products accounted for more than 

 one-fourth of the world's total. 



(b) Full-time and part-time fishermen in Japan numbered 

 about 1,500,000. 



(c) Japanese fishing boats numbered about 355,000 of 

 which 75,000 were powered. 



(d) Japanese fishing operations were world-wide. 



(2) Fishery products provided most of the animal protein in 

 the Japanese diet. 



(3) Although the greater part of the Japanese fishing pro- 

 ducts were consnaed at home, the production' provided 

 needed exports for JapsJi's trade balance. 



b. Explanation of emphasis' upon fishing in Japan 



(1) Dense population with meager food resources 



(2) Insular character and great length of coastline 



(3) Coastal concentration of the population 



(4) Excellent fishing grounds where warm and cold ocean 

 currents converge 



c. Fishing regions 



(1) Coastal and offshore waters of Japan Proper 



(a) Cold", waters surrounding Hoklcaido and Kuril I elands 



(b) Temperate, waters off coasts of Honshu, K.2''^3hu, 

 and Shikoku 



(c) Subtropical^ area south of Japan 



(d) Deep-sea: Pacific Ocean east of Japan 



(2) Former overseas fishing regions 



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