The cheap yen caused by the Abe administration's economic policy, which is centered on the Bank of Japan's massive monetary easing, has led to price rises on imported items. Fishermen especially are suffering from rises in fuel oil prices. Because wholesalers and volume sellers basically control the prices for fishery products in most cases, it is difficult for fishermen to pass on their higher costs to consumers.
The government must become fully aware of the difficult situation in which Japan's fishing industry finds itself and take necessary measures. At the same time, fishing cooperatives across the nation should make their own efforts to overcome this situation.
It is said that recent fuel cost increases have affected the fishing industry three to five times more severely than the taxi and trucking industries. Some fishermen have been forced to stop fishing temporarily and others permanently.
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