Fresh, salted, dried, smoked and canned fish were consumed. The 
largest amount was used fresh — possibly 60-65 percent of that consumed 
as food. The chief forms of processed fish used domestically were dried 
and salted. Smoked fish was less commonly used and canned fish was consumed 
in relatively small quantities by the Japanese population. In recent 
years canned fish was on the increase among the wealthier people in urban 
centers, and during the war the canned fish which would normally have entered 
export channels has been used by the Army. In spite of this increased use 
of canned fish it cannot be emphasized too strongly that the bulk of the 
fish consumed by the Japanese population was fresh, salted or dried. Fish 
was eaten raw, boiled, broiled, fried or in soups and sauces. 
Consumption of fish meal may be estimated at about 500,000 tons in 
prewar years and consumption of fish oils at about 75,000 - 1000,000 tons. 85/ 
Balance of Supply . Although marine products were produced 
throughout all parts of Japan proper, the regional output was not in accord¬ 
ance with the demand. Hokkaido and northeastern Honshu constituted a major 
surplus region whereas much of northwestern, central and southern Japan was 
deficient in fish. Within these latter areas, however, there were surplus 
producing districts some of which, Nagasaki for example, had large surpluses. 
Table 62 and Figure 9 show the surplus and deficit areas within Japan proper 
in 1939, based on the production of coastal fishing and deep-sea fishing 
in home waters. These fisheries together with aquiculture approximately 
provided the amount consumed within Japan proper during the prewar period. 
85/ Although Japan imported large amounts of fish oils from Korea, exports 
of these products about equalled imports so that consumption approximated 
home production. 
- 156 - 
% 
16-031 I*IS1 nobu 
