B. Soureeg of Inforoatlon 



1. Statistical data <lsed In this survey wer« obtained from Japanese Qovernnent records and 

 checked with officials of the Bureau of Fisheries (Sulsan Kyoku) of the Minlstr-.' of Agriculture and 

 Forestry (Norinsho). Deaoite care in preparation it is recognized that some de+A are Inaccurate because 

 of mmerous Inconalstancies In tiia collection and recording procedures employed by the Japanese. Although 

 most of the figures are given as converted frcm the recorded data, they are considered to be accurate 

 only to one or two significant figures. 



2. Data presented in this report are In many Instances at variance with the recorded data fron 

 the same sources because of corrections and adjustments i^lch have been made as a result nf consultations 

 with Japanese fishery experts. These changes have been made only when they seem warranted in order to 

 present a more accurate picture of the actual production than that given by official and seail-orficlal 

 data. It is believed that the figures presented are the best which can be derived, though admittedly not 

 as accurate as desired . 2/ 



5. The production data are listed for the calendar year prior to 19iil and in 19l|6, and for the 

 fiscal year 1 February - Jl January for 191*1-145. 



It. The basic published sources used are: (a) Noahomu Tokel . the statistical yearbook of the 

 Ulnistry of Commerce and Agriculture for the years prior to 1916; (b) Korin Tokel . the statistical 

 yearbook cf the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for the years since 1916. Together these year- 

 books constitute a single series containing the official recorded Japanese statistics on fisheries. 



5. For the colonial areas the data presented were obtained from Taiwan Suisan Tokei , published 

 by the Komosan Oovemment; Chosen Suisan Tokel . published by the Korean Government; Nanyo Suisan Tokei . 

 published by the Japanese Bureau of South Sea Island Affairs ( Kanyo Cho ); Okamoto's Manshi Suisan Ji.io 

 (19t»0) for data on Kwaiitung Peninsula; and Karafuto Kalhatsu Chosakai Toghinsho (igtii) for data on 

 Karaf uto . 



6. Fishing companies provided soine data, such as part, of that concerning the trawl fisheries 

 and whaling, and the Japanese Bureau of Fisheries provided unpublished data for sore of the recent years. 



C. Methods of Cocplllng Statistical Data, and Definitions 



1. A difficult probloi In preparing a statistical report pn Japanese fisheries is making the 

 data uniformly comparable. In thin report all production data are presented In terms of weight as landed. 

 For most production unites landed weight figures are available from Japanese sources, although in several 

 different units. In sone instances, however, the only production statistics are in voluire units or in 

 terms of the niaber of individuals caotured, and for a few fisheries the only data available are In pro- 

 cessed weights. 



2. For this survey standard conversion for one kan will be 5.75 kilograms, and for one kin 

 0,6 kilograms. In the statistics en wtiallng, weight of a whale from Japanese or colonial waters is 

 estimated at Un metric tons ^/ and weight of a whale from Antarctic or northern waters at 70 tons. 



3. Sone of the older statistics for coastal and offshore fisheries give weight figures for the 

 important species, value figures for minor species, and value figures for total catch. In thess cases 

 the weight f^r cinor species was estlnated on the basis of the ratio of the value of these species to .the 

 total value. These estijnated weights, added to tho recorded weight of the :'jiiportant species, provide 

 total weights. 



!»• Conversion for Northern Fisheries 



a. In the production statistics of sone of the northern fisheries such as those In Soviet 

 waters, a volme milt "koku"' was used. This measure has been converted to metric we'ght on the bas's of 



2/ Recently the Investigation Section of the Jaoanese Bureau of PisharJes reraised, for the period prior 

 to I9U0, the production figures of Horln Tokei . statistical yearbook of the Ministry of Agriculture 

 and Forestry which is the source of much of the datA in this reoort. It is claimed that the figures 

 of Horin Tokei prior to I9U0 do not Include all landings. Using statistics on the production of proc- 

 essed fish and receipts of fresh fish at urban markets, they have 'ferived a conversion factor of 1.5 

 and have aoplied It to the previously oubllsbed production figures of coastal and offshore fisheries 

 and aqulculture. In this report, however, the author has not used such a conversion, although aware 

 of Inaccuracies of Norin Tokel data. The method of deriving the 1.5 convRrsion factor has not been 

 satisfactorily explained, and the author does not consider any singl"? conversion factor valid for nil 

 years prior to 19l>0. 



jj/ The accuracy of this conversion factor la Questionable. No average we'ght figure »as derived by the 

 Japanese, and over a period of many years the relative Importance of the species caught- has shifted. 

 *han sol and sperm whales are numerous, as they have been in recent years, this conversion fai^tor is 

 probably fairly aceurst«. It Is based on the actual weighing of a small number of whales at a coastal 

 whaling station In 19U0, Manj- Japanese figures use 17 tons as a con'rers-ion factor, but this Is tho 

 approxlaate wel^t of the produeta Instead of the weight of whales as landed. 



