ASIA 



63 



Japan 



IMPORTS OF MARINE PRODUCTS 

 ARE RISING 



From 1962-1965, Japan increased her im- 

 ports of marine products: 



Country of Origin 



Korea Republic, . 

 Commimist China 



Peru 



Mexico 



United States • • • 

 Kong Kong . . • . 



Spain 



South Africa ... 



Australia 



Thailand 



USSR 



1965 I 1964 I 1963 | l962 



15,995 

 18,222 

 8,222 

 10, 374 

 7,149 

 5,838 

 5,764 

 5,146 

 3,314 

 3,902 

 4,389 



, (US$L 



15,916 



16,052 



11,128 



9,623 



5,935 



3,844 



2,790 



2,631 



3,130 



3,052 



2,722 



000) . 

 8,328 

 7,213 

 8,041 

 7,755 

 3,454 

 5,302 

 1,188 

 2,679 

 2,164 

 1,186 

 659 



7,439 



3,218 



3,517 



2,022 



1,471 



1,572 



14 



715 



708 



94 



149 



The data show significant increases in im- 

 ports from Republic of Korea, Communist 

 China, Thailand, and the USSR from 1963 to 

 1964, and for Spain between 1964 and 1965. 

 Imports from the United States show a some- 

 what steady increase over the four years, 

 (Fishery Attache, United States Embassy, 

 Tokyo, Oct. 5, 1966.) 



At its first meeting, the National Council 

 of Fisheries Organizations for the Import of 

 Marine Products considered a law to regu- 

 late the import of marine products by using 

 an import quota system on certain designated 

 products. The problem will be discussed 

 further. 



:{c :{c >ic :^ :^ 



EMPLOYMENT DROPS IN 

 FISHING INDUSTRY 



The 1965 Japanese fishing industry dropped 

 in number of establishments, fishing vessels, 

 and employment, according to the Ministry of 

 Agriculture and Forestry, Statistics Division: 



Item 



1965 



1964 



Change from 

 1964 



Establishments engaged in 

 marine fisheries and culture . 



No. 



293,000 

 316,000 

 880,000 



No. 



297,000 

 320, 000 

 895,700 



-1.3 

 -1.4 



-1.8 



Workers 



At least part of the reason for the de- 

 clines is the fishing industry's move to in- 

 crease the efficiency of operations and cut 

 labor costs through automation, and by con- 



solidation of vessels, facilities, and other op- 

 erations. (Fishery Attache, U. S. Embassy, 

 Tokyo, Oct. 4, 1966.) 



CATCHES OF SQUID, MACKEREL, 

 AND SAURY DECLINE 



The 1966 catches of squid, mackerel, and 

 saury, 3 of the most important coastal fish 

 of Japan, are expected to be low: 



Squid- -generally less than last year, es- 

 pecially in the Japan Sea off Hokkaido. 



Mackerel- -less than last year, due pri- 

 marily to the fish being farther from shore 

 (associated with the area of warm water found 

 farther offshore this year) and a decrease in 

 the general abundance of fish. 



Saury- -as of end of September, catch was 

 100,000 metric tons, and the fleet was ex- 

 pected to catch 100,000 tons more in October. 

 There is very little chance that the 300,000- 

 ton goal will be reached this year. 



The forecast of poor catches for these 3 

 species will probably be reflected in increased 

 prices and perhaps some increase in imports 

 to meet local demand and export commit- 

 ments. 



Horse mackerel- -very poor catches of 

 horse mackerel in August were reported in 

 western Japan. Landings of mackerel and 

 horse mackerel at Shimonoseki during Au- 

 gust were only 6,500 metric tons (just half 

 the amount landed in August of the previous 

 year). September landings appeared to be no 

 better. The shortage is especially critical 

 for the minced meat processors in western 

 Japan who depend on horse mackerel for their 

 main source of supply. Most of the process- 

 ors are idle because of the lack of fish and 

 the associated high price. 



The failure of the fisheries does not ap- 

 pear to be associated with abnormal weather 

 or sea conditions. Because of the demand for 

 minced meat by the Japanese processors for 

 the various fish paste products, it is expected 

 that the shortage will result in an increase in 

 the import of fish from the Republic of Korea, 

 the USSR, and other neighboring countries. 



