THE JAPANESli; AGAR-AGAR Il^USTRY ^ 

 Summary 



1. Japanese dominance in the production and exportation of agar-agar 

 is so great that tne product may be considered peculiar to Japan. 



2. The five largest consuming countries of Japanese agar-agar, judged 

 by their imports, were the United States, "fSngland, Germany, France, and the 

 Netherlands "^st Indies. 



3. The method of manufacturing a^r-agar in Japan, while primitive, is 

 essentially simple and effective. Little mechanical or stationary equipment 

 is required and no expensive or scarce ingredients are used. Wood for fuel 

 is the largest single item of supply. Four pounds of fuel are required for 

 each pound of raw material used. 



4. In the United States and most other countries agar-agar has many 

 uses. Chiefly, it is used in the manufacture of confections, laxatives, 

 cosmetics, and bread; in meat canning; in dental products; and for bacterial 

 culture media. Other uses include the clearing of wines and vinegar, the 

 glazing of textiles and upper leather; use in cordials and condiments and 



in welding fluxes. In Japan its chief use is as a food. Although agar-agar 

 has practically no food value, when mixed with beans or various kinds of 

 fruit, it is highly regarded by the Japanese. 



5. Although some agar-agar was diverted for war use in the manufacture 

 of shatterproof glass for airplanes, the industry is primarily a peacetime 

 one. The method of gathering and processing the raw material employs a 

 large number of persons. The product is of high q\;iality and is in world 

 demand. 



6. The agar-agar bearing seaweed is abundant along the entire coast 

 of Japan. The most important sources are the Izu Islands and the coast 

 of shizuoka Prefecture. 



7. During the decade from 1930 to "1940 .the average annual production 

 was 2,476 metric tons, and the average value was ¥10,569,486. Sixty-one 

 percent of the average production was exported. In 1945, because of a shortage 

 of labor for gathering the seaweed, production fell to 716 metric tons. The 

 value went up in proportion to the scarcity of the finished product, reach- 

 ing a level of ¥5.7 per pound compared to the average price of ¥1.5 per 



pound in the years from 1930 to 1939 inclusive. 



Photos courtesy of Japan Agar-Agar Distribution Control Company. 



1/ This report is based on information gathered and compiled by Capt. 

 Claude M. Adams, Fisheries Division, llatural Resources Section, General 

 Headquarters, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, Tokyo. Report No. 42, 

 June 28, 1945. (Reproduced by permission of the Civil Affairs Division, 

 War Department). 



