The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-07-16
Jap Food Shortage

Back in the dear dead days beyond recall
the United States sent some millions of dollars
worth of food and other necessities OF life to
Japan Condit ons have changed so greatly Ill
the meantime that United States bombers are
now engaged in destroying Japan's means o
communication 50 efficiently that the people
face actual famine in many ss::jons and are
on short rctions everywhere
Furthermore no tattlesaios viii steam into
Tokyo or Yokohama with relief When they
arrive it will be to shell the cities, if American
Air Forces have not completed that Job in
advance C; their coming.
That is part of the prize ia >an is having
to pay for launching its war of conquest.
The food situation in Japan is rapidly ap-
preaching the low level that existed in the
countries Hitler overran in Europe, where mil
lions died of starvation. 1t is so acute that the
Japanese are encouraged by their leaders to
eat refuse-to plant anything and ca. ito
live garbage-to rival alley cats in foraging
The Japanese minister of agriculture gave a
hint Of the true situation at recent press con-
ference, when he said:
THE food distribution is by no means salts
factory even at the existing rate. The food
self-sufficiency situation of this rice year has
been more than ever difficult. . 1t is to my
great regret that the situation has come to
such pass. The people will please realize
the stark reality of this war, and do not let
your fighting spirit weaken through this real
ity, but consolidate the determination to fight
on to victory
And thereupon he appealed to the people to
use hitherto wasted materials as food and to
convert devasted areas into vegetable gar
dens The government, he said, plans to find
rev food resources by turning into powder
such waste materials as potato vines, starch
refuse, and mulberry leaves He asked the
farmers to increase their paintings OF rice,
grain, and sweet potatoes not only for use as
foods but for conversion into aircraft fuel.
Several contributory causes are given by
close observers for Japan's critical food short
age. Rice imports from China and Southeast
Asia have been virtually cut off for more
than e year. and now transportation from
Korea and Manchuria has become difficult be-
cause Of bombing and submarine attacks. A
sharp decline in the supply of bean paste ano
shoyu SOY sauce), made mainly from Man
ch1-ian sov beans. gives additional evidence
CT this.
Domestic production of rice has been ham
pred by a severe shortage OF farm labor
intensif ed by the demands Of the Army, the
mines and other war industries for more man
power The Government IS attempting to fl
the vacuum by sending ne victims Of bombing
from the cities 70 ne villages ana Dy sending
students 10 wo-k Is seasonal laoorers.
To make raz.-s-s @c-se, Japan has a shor
crop OF grains oecz-ze g ,ad weather. Wheat
production VIII oe Only 30 per cent Of las
years crop. barley prediction only 73 per cent
koreas wheat crop Is down 80 per cent. &C
eordins to a survey oy the Domei News
Agency.
When food is available. distribution some
times breaks down because Of the inroads
made by B-29's on Japan's railroad system
Shortages are much worse in some districts
than in others, and the Government now is
trying to promote regional self-sufficiency
10 Offset this handicap.
It is not pleasant to contemplate this fooc
crisis, even among barbarians. But as there
can be no peace in the world until Japan /,
defeated and her military caste eliminated, i
il impossible not to hope that the blockade
and bombings that have created the crisis ma,
grow worse daily if they help convince Japa
pese Army leaders of the hopelessness of con
tinuing the war.