67 



Japan (Contd.): 



This report reflects the economic problem 

 Japan now faces, because of high labor and 

 other production costs, in meeting competi- 

 tion in foreign markets. (Fishery Attach^, 

 U. S. Embassy, Tokyo, October 5, 1966.) 



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CANNED SAUEY TO BE- SOLD 

 TO UNITED STATES 



In spring 1966, 250,000 cases of horse 

 mackerel were exported to the United States 

 and an additional order of 300,000 cases could 

 not be filled. Instead Japan shipped 100,000 

 cases of mackerel to the United States. 



Many trading companies are considering 

 the export of canned saury to the United States 

 to supplement mackerel. The U.S. public does 

 not know saury, but it is similar to the sar- 

 dine in quality, taste, and appearance, and so 

 Japanese interests feel that they should be 

 able to develop a good market for it. Much 

 of the canned saury now goes to Southeast 

 Asian countries. (Fishery Attach^, U. S. Em- 

 bassy, Tokyo, Oct. 1, 1966.) 



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 HAKE GAINING CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE 



Hake ("merluza") caught off South Africa 

 is gaining consumer acceptance in Japan, 

 states a report from Shimonoseki, southern 

 Japan, the home base of many large trawlers 

 operating in the South Atlantic. Restrictions 

 imposed by importing countries to protect 

 their fisheries and fishing industry have made 

 it difficult for Japan to export "merluza" to 

 Europe, where demand is good. As a result, 

 the trawlers operating in the Atlantic are 

 compelled to ship their catches (dressed and 

 filleted) to Japan. 



Hake was not well known in Japan but, 

 beginning in late 1965, firms began to pro- 

 mote it aggressively. The promotion appears 

 to be a success. Despite increased shipments 

 to Japan, consumption has increased, and the 

 price landed in Japan is holding above 100,000 

 yen a metric ton (12.6 U.S. cents a lb.). (Ni - 

 hon Suisan Shimbun , September 21, 1966.) 



TO CULTIVATE PEARLS IN FIJI ISLANDS 



The Fiji Government has given a Japan- 

 ese company a five-year license to cultivate 

 pearls at Vukanicuku Bay, Gau Island. (Pa- 

 cific Islands Monthly , July 1966.) 



JOINT WHALING VENTURE 

 WITH NORWAY UNDER WAY 



A major Japanese whaling fleet left No- 

 vember 1 on a joint venture with a Norwegian 

 company. The Japanese fleet consists of the 

 mothership "Koyo Maru" and 5 catcher boats. 

 Also, the "No. 2 Banshu Maru" was chart- 

 ered to the Norwegians. The charter rate 

 this year is about US$890,000, about $280,000 

 higher than last year. The Japanese are en- 

 tering such joint undertakings to overcome 

 their short supply of whale meat resulting 

 from the decrease in Antarctic whale produc- 

 tion. (Fishery Attache, U.S. Embassy, Tokyo, 

 Oct. 4, 1966.) 



5|c sic 5^: :^< sic 



HOKKAIDO IS REBUILDING SALMON RUNS 



The Hokkaido salmon fishery opened Sep- 

 tember 1 and the catches were good. Offi- 

 cials predicted that the run will approximate 

 the same high level of the past three years, 

 probably second only to the high year of 1965. 

 The expected total run was about 4,000,000 

 fish, of which 620,000 were to be allowed to 

 escape for spawning--to produce about 620 

 million eggs. 



The Fishery Agency plans to stock ex- 

 perimentally red salmon fry in the Nishi- 

 betsu River near Nemero, Hokkaido. In 1960, 

 50,000 kokanee fry were released in the 

 Nishibetsu River; in 1964, 5 or 6 parent red 

 salmon returned to spawn. Encouraged by 

 the return, the Agency will release annually 

 200,000 fry for the next five years. Fryare 

 held for one year at the hatchery before re- 

 lease. If the study proves successful, the 

 Agency plans to expand the plants to other 

 rivers by using eggs purchased from Alaska, 

 or other sources if necessary. (Fishery At- 

 tache, United States Embassy, Sept. 20, and 

 Oct. 4, 1966.) 



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