Concerning Misao Nakaya's Dec. 16 letter, "Whales as a food resource": In the only comment that is apropos of my Dec. 9 letter, "Whales don't cause fish shortages," Nakaya writes that the average Japanese consumes 18 kilograms of fish per year.
This statement is incorrect and greatly misrepresents Japan's role in regard to the current state of seafood in the world. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the average Japanese consumes approximately 70 kg of fish per year (about 190 grams per day), a statistic that has remained consistent over the past several decades.
Readers are entitled to express their beliefs in letters to the editor, but I feel it is the duty of The Japan Times to verify the accuracy of any information that is presented as factual.
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