country as a whole; in other areas, especially those near the sea coast, 
supplies of fish are thought to he considerably better. 
The drastic cut indicated in the fish supply available for domestic 
consumption from about 3,000,000 metric tons.in prewar years to 1,650,000 
tons in 1944-45 can be expected to have seriously affected the Japanese 
diet. The prewar per capita consumption of about 65 pounds can be ex¬ 
pected to have been reduced to about 40 pounds. 19/ This loss in protein 
supply is important even though it has been mitigated to some extent by 
so/bean imports. 
Although no data are available concerning the size of Japan's 
stockpile of fish and other marine products, the quantities of dried, 
salted, smoked and canned fish stored for emergency use are thought to 
be sizable for Japan has been accumulating food stockpiles over a period 
of several years. One estimate places the reserves of smoked and canned 
fish a6 between 25 and 50 percent of annual consumption. 20/ 
Wartime Distribution 
Rationing of food in Japan began in 1940 on a local basis when 
several cities, finding themselves in short supply, attempted regulation. 
When such local rationing was first applied to marine products is not 
19/ Although the total supply is estimated to have been reduced by 
almost half the per capita consumption for food is estimated as less be¬ 
cause during the war there has been diversion of fish normally used for 
oil and fertilizer to food purposes and waste has undoubtedly been 
reduced 
20/ "The Food Position of Japan, w Office of Strategic Services, 
April 1945. 
- 198 - 
16-031' P228 
