Two processes were used in making fish meal in Japan: sun-drying 
and machine manufacture. Although some sources give the impression that 
sun-drying was largely a method of the past, as late as 1939 it was 
reported that 90 percent of the total production was sun dried. 75/ In 
this method of production the raw materials were cooked and sterilized, 
fat and oil extracted by hand presses, and the resulting material was 
then sun-dried and ground. This type of manufacturing was done in small 
units; it was really a household industry. 
In contrast, in the modern method the materials were handled by 
machine from start to finish. The continuous machine producer consisted 
of a cooker, a screw press (for the removal of water and fat), a dryer 
equipped with a steam jacket, a grinder and a collector, all of which 
worked in combination. A few of the large plants recently installed are 
reported to be capable of processing a thousand pounds of raw material 
daily. Most fish meal plants of Japan had much lower capacities. 76 / 
Capacity production was reached only at times when the catches of sardines 
and other fish were abundant. 
In 1936 there were reported to be 65 plants producing fish meal 
including plants in Karafuto, Korea and Soviet territory. 77/ Within 
Japan proper the leading centers for fish mead production were Hakodate, 
757 The Japan^Trade Guide, 1940 . This figure may be too high, but large 
amounts are still processed by sun—drying. 
76/ According to the Japan Trade Guide, 1940 the average capacity of 
plants producing machine-made meal is about 10 — 20 tons daily. 
77/ According to another source in 1937 Korea alone had more than 144 
sardine pressing plants producing oil and meal. Many of these, however, 
were very small. 
- 142 ' 
16'03t P167 bu 
