Japanese Tuna-Fisheries from the mid-1950s to 60s and the United States: A Comparison of “Subsistence” versus “Migrant Work” Type Communities

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  • 1950年代半ば～1960年代初めにおける日本のマグロ遠洋漁業とアメリカ --「生産型」と「移動労働型」の漁村に焦点を当てて--
  • 1950年代半ば~1960年代初めにおける日本のマグロ遠洋漁業とアメリカ : 「生業型」と「移動労働型」の漁村に焦点を当てて
  • 1950ネンダイ ナカバ~1960ネンダイ ハジメ ニ オケル ニホン ノ マグロ エンヨウ ギョギョウ ト アメリカ : 「 ナリワイガタ 」 ト 「 イドウ ロウドウガタ 」 ノ ギョソン ニ ショウテン オ アテテ

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Abstract

This paper explores how Japanese tuna fishermen interacted with international economy and politics of the latter half of 1950s and the early 60s. Especially, it compares two different ways fishermen and their native towns were engaged in tuna-fishing business. Because they went to different fishing grounds on different types of ships and caught different species of tuna, they also experienced impacts of the U.S.-Japan trade conflict and the U.S. nuclear tests in the Pacific differently. By oral history interviews with retired tunafishermen in two contrasting communities, this paper demonstrates that tuna fishermen were neither homogenous nor powerless victims of the trade conflict and nuclear tests, but were active players of international economy and politics. In Muroto, Kochi Prefecture, all kinds of businesses related to tuna-fisheries, from shipbuilding to wholesaling, developed in the town, and survival and prosperity of the whole community depended on tuna-fisheries. Fishermen going on tuna-fishing expeditions were also recruited from Muroto and its neighborhood. In this paper, they are called the “subsistence” type tuna fishermen. By contrast, in the southern part of Ehime Prefecture, fishermen migrated to larger ports such as Misaki in Kanagawa Prefecture, where they found jobs on large tuna ships owned by seafood companies. In this paper, they are called the “migrant work” type. The “migrant work” type tuna-fishermen were strongly influenced by the U.S.-Japan trade conflict because their employers, i.e. big seafood companies, mostly targeted albacore tuna to export to U.S. canneries. As Japanese seafood companies increased overseas operations in order to cultivate diverse marketing routes, tuna fishermen ended up working in foreign countries for many years. The “subsistence” type fishermen were seriously impacted by U.S. nuclear tests in the Pacific because their boats were small and they could not go to fishing grounds far-away from the danger zone. Moreover, they mainly targeted bluefin tuna to be sold and consumed in Japan, but Japanese seafood consumption dropped sharply after the Lucky Dragon Incident provoked fear for radioactive fallout. Because of these experiences, “subsistence” type fishermen were keenly aware of the nuclear tests.

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