In October 1940 Japan gave notice of its abrogation of the treaty 
and a year later the treaty was terminated. The Japanese Government 
claimed that valuable food fish were destroyed by the increased herd, 
thus detrimental to its fishing industry, and also indicated that Japan 
should have a larger share in the distribution of the seal catch. 
Whether the Japanese charges were more than a preliminary war cove is not 
readily ascertainable for detailed scientific investigations to uphold 
or refute these claims were lacking. 
In December 1943 the United States and Canada made an agreement 
which because of wartime shortages permitted the taking of fur seals on 
the high seas. With the war's end further international negotiations 
for fur seal regulation can be expected and Japan, sharing in this re- 
♦ 
source, should be a party to any convention. 
- 194 - 
16-031 ?223 bu 
