Japan's Invasion Of Pacific Shell Industry

A N increasing amount of alarmed atten tion is being given in Australia to the penetration and capture of the Aus tralian pearling industry by the Japanese.

The matter probably will attain inter national importance presently. By that time, the industry will be irrevocably Japanese. It is two-thirds Japanese now.

The development is in two phases. In the first phase, the Japanese invaded the northern Australian pearl-shelling indus try (which has its centres in the north west towns—Derby, Broome, Wyndham, Darwin, etc.) and, by their skill and in dustry, and their temperamental suitable ness as divers, they pushed out most of the Malays, Koepangers and Filipinos, and virtually staffed the industry. Then they proceeded to supplant the Europeans and to own and direct the industry. That is the position to-day. The whole story is told, in detail, in lon Idriess’s new book, Forty Fathoms Deep.

The second phase is just as serious.

Swarms of sampans, staffed by adven turous Japanese and powered with modern engines, have come southwards from Formosa and from the Japanese mandated islands; and working to what seems a careful plan, they have invaded the territorial waters of all the south-west Pacific Islands, and of Australia, and they have literally scraped every shell bearing reef in that part of the world.

They have either taken possession of the trochus industry: or else, by carrying off the immature shell, they have destroyed it.

We used to think that these sampans were merely piratical and irresponsible.

But there are indications that they are working to a concerted plan. It is cer tain that there are well-found “mother ships” operating in connection with the fleets. We know, for instance, that one handsome vessel, the Zuiho Maru, is

actually a Japanese Government survey vessel, and that she has made, and is making, a very thorough survey of the ocean-bed in Northern Australian waters, beyond the three miles limit.

Five years ago, Australia supplied 85 per cent, of the world’s pearl-shell require ments. To-day, so thoroughly have the Japanese penetrated the Pacific’s tropical reefs, and so well have they organised the industry, Japan controls the pearl shell trade of the world.