The important Okhotsk fisheries had a value of ?50 million. Other fisheries in Chosen, Karafuto, South Mandate and Formosa came to ?122,000,000 and ?358,000,000 from Japan proper, for a total of ?480,000,000 (1938 figures). Secondary products from fishing had a value of ?150 million to ?200 million. (From another source, fishing values were of ?235,000,000 and ?275,000,000 during 1919 to 1913, more than the British.)

Coastal fishing represented 61% of the total value, with a fleet of 364,260 small boats of which 20% had engines; the rest were sailing boats. High seas fishing represented 28% of the industry, with whaling, coral and pearl collecting and a little physiculture on land making up the rest. The high seas vessels operated in the North Pacific area (Alaska coasts), to the South Pacific. During Japanese administration the fishing in the Kwantung leased territory was 61,000 tonnes.

In 1938, the fish factory vessels packed 204,000,000 packages of crab, and 370 packages of sea salmon. In the same year, four whale hunting vessels fished in waters around the Antarctic. Factories were built in Chisima, Hokkaid?, Karafuto, Taiwan, Chosen, Ky?sh?, Shikoku and other coastal areas to process fish products.

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