## (2) Japan's international fishery relations

○ Japan has concluded bilateral fishery agreements with South Korea, China, and Russia, and fishery activities can be conducted in each other's exclusive economic zones under predetermined conditions. Also, the operations of Japanese fishing vessels are secured through the conclusion of bilateral intergovernmental agreements and/or private-sector agreements on fisheries with Pacific island countries and African countries, etc.

○ In ongoing Doha Round negotiations under the World Trade Organization (WTO), Rule Negotiation Group held a series of discussions on developing disciplines on fisheries subsidies. Japan submitted its proposal in this regard to the WTO in January 2011.

Outline of Japan's proposal on the WTO disciplines on fisheries subsidies

Basic ideas
○ Fisheries subsidies do not always contribute to overcapacity/overfishing.○ Implementation of appropriate fisheries management can prevent or offset the negative effects on fisheries resources even if capacity/effort-enhancing effects are induced by subsidies.○ Prohibition of subsidies should be limited to those which are indeed contributing to overcapacity/overfishing.
Major proposals
○ Such subsidies as "support for fish processing and distribution industries," "development and maintenance of infrastructures," and "income support for fishers" should be eliminated from the proposed list of prohibition by Chair's 2007 text.○ Support for "acquisition, construction, repair and modernization of fishing vessels" may be prohibited in principle, but exceptions should be granted for certain purposes, such as reducing the total gross tonnage of fishing vessels concerned, ensuring sea safety, and measures necessary for fisheries resource management.○ With regard to support for "operating costs of fishing vessels," such support as labor costs and insurance fees should be eliminated from the prohibition list. Support for fuel and fishing gear may be prohibited, but exceptions should be granted in such cases as necessary to mitigate damage to fishers due to unexpected incidents.

## (3) Fishery policies of other countries

☐ The United States has revised the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, recommending people to consume at least 8 ounces (224 g; cooked edible portion) of seafood per week.

☐ As measures to counter illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the EU has implemented a trade restriction measure to eliminate the IUU catch from EU markets and a measure to prohibit IUU fishing vessels from calling at EU ports, since January 2010.

## Section 4: Development of vigorous fishing communities

## (1) Current status of fishing communities

○ Fishing communities support Japan's coastal regions

(i) Number of fishing ports: 2,914 (every 12.1 km along the coastline), (ii) number of fishing communities: 6,298 (every 5.6 km along the coastline)

☐ The aging rate of fishing communities is higher than that of the national average, and the population decrease is faster for communities with a higher proportion of fishery households.

Changes in the population/aging rate of fishing communities

Sources: Fisheries Agency survey (population changes and aging rate of fishing communities), Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Population Census (Japan's aging rate for 2000 and 2005) and Population Estimates (Japan's aging rate for other years).

Proportion of fishery households in the fishing communities and degree of population decrease

Source: Fisheries Agency survey