APPENDIX IV APPENDIX IV 
As shown below, the United States is, by far, the 
largest import market for Japanese fish products. 
Percent of 
total 1974 
Nation export value Major export products 
United States 30.8 Canned tunas and mackerel, 
frozen tunas and other 
fish 
Netherlands Tweed: Canned salmon, whale oil 
and fat 
United Kingdom 5.4 Canned salmon and tunas 
Australia 4.2 Canned salmon, frozen fish 
Philippines Ay sul Canned mackerel 
West Germany 4.1 Canned tunas, pearls 
Japan's 1975 fishery exports were seriously hurt by U.S. 
canners' reduction of tuna imports. The U.S. canners' build- 
up of large inventories of raw and canned tuna practically 
closed the U.S. market for Japanese tuna exports in early 
1975. A national tuna fisheries association official said 
that about two-thirds of Japan's tuna industries are cur- 
rently incurring financial losses. 
ECONOMIC ROLE OF THE INDUSTRY 
The fishing industry makes an important contribution to 
the Japanese economy, but its importance has diminished in 
recent years because other industrial sectors have grown more 
rapidly. In 1973 the gross value of fisheries output was 
about 1 percent of Japan's gross domestic product. 
In 1973 the productivity in the fishing industry was 
diminishing, compared with the productivity in other in- 
dustrial sectors. The United Nations' Organization for Eco- 
nomic Cooperation and Development reported that the slowing 
of the productivity growth rate in the fishing industry is a 
major obstacle to the industry's future growth. This organi- 
zation also indicated that economic difficulties in the fish- 
ing industry were compounded by rising costs, especially for 
fuel. 
The fishing industry makes a major contribution to the 
economy by providing a food supply. Fish products accounted 
for about one-half of the Japanese animal protein consump- 
tion in 1973. In contrast, fish products provide only about 
5 percent of the animal protein consumed in many Western 
countries. Although fish products continue to be a staple in 
the Japanese diet, they are relying less on fish and more on 
meat products for their animal protein needs. 
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