prices of fish, that is the wholesale prices at the central markets, were 
published daily in the newspapers of the larger cities such as Tokyo, Yoko¬ 
hama, Osaka and Kyoto. 
In August 1940 the prices of various foods came under government 
control and since that time the prices of many marine products have been 
controlled by the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce through various of its 
wartime agencies (see pages 205 - 206). 
\ 
Consumption . The importance of fish in the Japanese diet 
is far greater than in other countries for it is the major source of 
animal protein and also a leading source of fat. In the preponderantly 
starchy Japanese diet, which according to nutritionists has only "adequate” 
protein and is notably deficient in fat, fish is an essential item. Fish 
did not replace rice as the basis of a meal and was not normally consumed 
as a bulk food. 83 / The amount actually served at a meal seems trifling 
by Western standards, but because of its nutritional importance, fish is 
almost as indispensible as rice. 
Per capita consumption of fish, shellfish, crustaceans and molluscs 
for food was probably about 65 pounds per year in terms of fresh fish. 84 / 
83/ This is even true in the coastal fishing villages. 
84/ Prewar per capita consumption figures of fish in Japan vary greatly — 
estimates from 40 to 160 pounds have been made with those between 50 and 
110 pounds most common. These wide variations are understandable and 
not necessarily incompatible when one considers differences in meaning 
of "per capita consumption” and the difficulties of computing such a 
figure from the available statistics. In many cases the estimate does 
not make it clear whether the figure refers to the total per capita dis¬ 
appearance of all marine products (edible and inedible) in terms of the 
weight as captured, whether it refers to the consumption only for food, 
or whether it refers only to the weight of the edible portions of fish 
used directly as food. Since much of the Japanese catch was used for the 
- 154 - 
16-031- P 179 tiu 
