THE CHANGING PATTERN OF PEARL CULTIVATION IN JAPAN (EXCLUDING MIE PREFECTURE)

Abstract

The writer showed in Part I that regional characteristics of pearl culture include regional divisions of its stages and processes. Actually regional patterns consist of this regional division and the traditional conditions in various fishing villages. In this paper, the writer analizes the processes of acceptance of pearl culture in a new location under those conditions. The general postwar trend in number of pearl rafts shows a steady growth in all districts. About ten years ago a great expansion of rafts in suitable areas of southwest Japan took place because of maximum intensification in Mie Prefecture. At that time almost all districts were monopolized by Mie people. However, recently local pearl culturists have begun to develop along those coasts. As a result almost all newly developed coasts also have begun to show intensification. Available areas for pearl culture have become gradually more limitted. 88.6% of available bays and inlets in all prefectures, according to the national statistics of 1964 are already in use, prefectures with under 50% utilization are only three, Ishikawa, Shimane and Saga. No unused area remains in Hyogo, Hiroshima, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Fukuoka and Miyazaki. Such development to pearl culture by both local and outside prefectural culturists have led prefectural government to introduce controls to protect local culturists. Many prefectures have begun to adopt restrictive policies to protect their own enterprises. 12 of 24 prefectures which have pearl farms have some form of such restriction. In prefectures with pearl farms where all grades of pearls can be cultured, strong restrictions are imposed on culture of oysters from other prefectures. For example, in Nagasaki Prefecture, the authorities have taken measures to restrict movement of oyster rafts and of entrepreneurs from other prefectures into Nagasaki Prefecture. Therefore, culturists from Mie have declined rapidly in recent years, from 10 in 1963 to one 1965. On the other hand local culturists increased from 129 to 201 during the same years. However, in areas requiring seasonal transfer between cool and warm water, it is rather difficult to protect local pearl enterprises. Generally speaking, in Setouchi Districts pearl culture in supported by culturists from Mie and other prefectures permission must be given them to culture in Setouchi areas in return for use of warm water in their prefectures. As a result protections of local pearl enterprises is different from Nagasaki. Authorities of prefectures along Setouchi Coasts are obliged to permit expansion of Mie and other prefecturel people in order to develop local pearl enterprises. In such case development of local pearl culture can be accomplished only with cooperation of other prefectures. Protective measures thus become more difficult than in prefectures such as Nagasaki were transfer of rafts is not necessary. Therefore, in the Setouchi areas many pearl enterprises from other prefectures still remain. Setouchi culturists had various kinds of jobs before joining pearl culture. They were ordinary fishermen, farmers, merchants etc. Many of them at first cultured pearls as a side job, but now some of them have become full time culturists. For example, in Okayama Prefecture, all of local culturists have side jobs of growing oysters for food, but in Kagawa Prefecture, of a total of 21 local culturists, four are full time culturists. In Hiroshima Prefecture, only three of total of 29 are locally owned, of these three, two are full time culturists while one cultures oysters for food as a side job. In Nagasaki Prefecture, culturists with no side jobs totaled 139 in 1965, part time culturists numbered 62. They at first started as small scale enterprises, but have increased their scale of management gradually and become stable. Therefore, they are changing their form of enterprise from individual to joint stock company, although their capital is not so large.