regulations and the areas are larger. In 1937-38 the international 
convention limited the season south of 40° S. latitude to the period 
between December 8th and March 15th whereas in that year Japan started 
whaling on November 1st and continued until March 26th. 
Coastal and Colonial Whaling. Several kinds 
of whales including the sperm, sei, fin and humpback were taken in 
waters bordering Japan (including the Kuriles) and its colonial possess¬ 
ions, chiefly Korea. The principal whaling grounds were off the north¬ 
eastern coast of Honshu and the southern Kuriles where they are taken 
during the summer months, but other areas including southern Japan 
proper, Korea, Foraosa and the Bonins are reported to have engaged in 
whaling. 
Table 36 gives the catch by type for 1937 and 1938. Production 
of oil in the period preceding the war amounted to about 6,000 - 8,000 
tons, most of which was used domestically. 
Whaling boats in home and colonial waters are restricted to 30 
and the catches are taken only by licensed persons. The vessels were 
modern whalers of the Norwegian type, most of them less than 120 tons. 
Four companies operated in the coastal fisheries of home and 
colonial waters in 1938; their relative importance is shown in Table 
37. 
-113- 
lfl-031 P138 bu 
