The steady growth of the world market for pearls since World War II has stimulated a corresponding growth in the pearl industry in Japan. Prior to the war, the industry was limited almost entirely to the numerous bays and inlets of Mie Prefecture where the physical environment permits the production of pearls of all types. However, under the stimulation of the postwar market, suitable areas in Mie Prefecture rapidly reached the maximum intensification possible use. This was followed by expansion to other areas where water temperatures and calm waters, the imporant controlling factors in the physical environment, are suitable for pearl oyster growth. As available areas which could be used year-round became fully utilized, a practice of transferring oysters to areas of cooler temperatures in summer and warmer temperatures in inter developed. As a result, four types of cultivation based on place have arisen. These are: 1) areas where all grades of pearls can be produced without seasonl transfer, 2) areas where transfer between relatively cool and relatively warm waters must take place seasonally to produce superior grades of pearls, 3) areas where mother oysters only are cultivated for sale to the pearl culture areas, and 4) areas where seed oysters only are grown for sale to the above areas.
This postwar expansion has given rise to many social and ecnomic problems growing out of the long-established system of sea area property rights, strong prefectural loyalities, the fact that owners and technicians are chiefly from Mie Prefecture, and the general decline of coastal fishing. The interaction of these human and physical factors presents problems of considerable geographical interest.
Pioneers of all newly established areas are culturists from Mie Prefecture who stimulate people of those areas looking for new activities to substitute for coastal fishing. These people began pearl culture under the guidance of Mie culturists. In areas where all grades of pearls can be cultured without seasonal transter coastal people, both rich and poor, participate. However, in areas requiring transfer between cool and warm waters, it is rather difficult to join because of capital and various socio-economic obstacles. Inland Sea areas contain many large scale oyster raft owners from Mie and local coastal villages. The other areas permit both rich and poor culturists.
Among all newly developed areas Ehime and Nagasaki Prefectures are the most important and influential because of their superior physical and socio-economic conditions. On the other hand, although having good physical conditions, small scale oyster raft owners dominate in coastal villages which have strong traditions of exclusiveness such as Shizuoka Prefecture. A characteristic of these areas is that many enterprises are owned jointly by several persons or are managed by fishing cooperative of fishing villages.
Geographical review of Japan series A
Geographical review of Japan, Series B.