Abstract:
It is often said that the reason why Community-Based Fishery Management System (CBFM) in Japan has been
well practiced is due to a historical development of a fishing right system, which emerged during her feudal era. This is not
always correct. Until August 1945, when Japan was defeated in the World War II, Japanese people served to the emperor
under the military government. In those days there was no democracy at all. Thereafter, Japan was occupied by the Allied
Forces for seven years until April 1952. During this period, the policy of the Occupied Forces was to make Japan a real
democratic country. Within such a fundamental policy, the contents of Japan’s fishery law was thoroughly redrafted in
order that fishermen are entitled to participate in the planning with regard to the use of fishing area and fishery resources
through a fishery coordination committee at the utmost democratic manner. This gave an ideal circumstance to Japanese
fishermen to create a collective fishery management, which is often called a community-based fishery management system.
