Despite the control of food distribution illegal operations are 
widespread'and many people who have the means supplement their rations 
through black market purchases. Fish is known to enter into the black 
market in considerable amounts. 
Wartime Price Controls 
A cabinet ordinance in August 1940 provided for price control 
for perishable foods, including fish and shellfish. Wholesale prices are 
fixed by prefectural governments with the advice of a price fixing 
committee, the whole system being administered by the Ministry of Agri- 
\ 
culture and Commerce. Details of fish prices during the war are not 
available, but when prices were first set they were reduced below the 
free market price prevailing at the time. Up to April 1943 only minor 
upward revisions had been made. Fishermen^ complaints that the govern¬ 
ment prices were too low prevailed and were one factor in both the 
reduced supply and in the large black market sales. In August 1944 the 
prices of fresh and salted fish were reported to have been revised up¬ 
wards by more than 20 percent. 
• 8 — 
16-031 P26 t>u 
