2. STANDARD RATIONS
Contrary to the belief of some persons, the Japanese
soldier does not live entirely on rice. To him, rice is a staple
food, just as bread is to us; and, if he had only rice for his
meal, he would be as displeased as we would be with only bread to
eat. However, rice does constitute well over 50 percent of the
Japanese soldier's diet.
Both polished and unpolished rice has been captured
from the enemy. Polished rice is more common, probably because it
can be preserved longer than unpolished rice. To increase the
palatability of rice, the Japanese usually season it with a
soy-bean sauce (shoyu) or miso paste, which is
made of fermented soy beans and which is more commonly used for
preparing soup.
U.S. rations weigh more and have a higher calorific
value than the Japanese.
Although the Japanese have standard rations, they
supplement these whenever possible with various foods obtained
locally—even when standard rations are easily available. There have
been many instances during the warfare in Pacific theaters when the
enemy has run extremely low on rations, due to loss of shipping and
successful United Nations attacks against the Japanese land
forces.
As a general rule, the Japanese field ration in the
South Pacific theaters of operations has not been standardized, but
has varied from 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds per man per day.
Theoretically, the field ration is approximately 1.5 kilograms (3.3
lbs.). Two types of specially packed field rations, "A" and "B,"
have been noted frequently. The "A" ration normally consists of
30.7 ounces of rice, 5.3 ounces of meat or fish, and a small amount
of seasoning and flavoring. The "B" ration normally consists of
24.4 ounces of hard biscuits in three paper bags (enough for three
meals), 2.1 ounces of meat or fish, and a small amount of seasoning
(salt and sugar).
In New Guinea (June, 1943) a Japanese table of ration
allowances listed three separate categories of issue:
Basic: 1.3 Kilograms (when transportation is
adequate)
"A": 1.13 Kilograms (when transportation is difficult)
"B": .86 1/2 Kilogram (when transportation is very
difficult)
Under the "A" ration, sweet potatoes, fresh vegetables,
bananas, and papayas were to supplement deficiencies to the extent
of .85 kilogram (524 calories), while under the "B" issue these
local foods were to provide 1.8 kilograms (1,218 calories).
It is known that the Japanese use vitamin pills quite
frequently as a part of their rations. Vitamin B is supplied in
three forms: (1) tablets, (2) as a liquid, and (3) a tube of
paste.
A "Polished Rice Combination Case" captured by U.S.
forces on Bougainville Island contained 40 "portions" (mostly
rice). The contents were packed loose in an air-tight tin case
enclosed in a wooden crate. A single portion was calculated to
include the following:
10 1/2 oz. of polished rice
1/2 oz. of dehydrated Miso paste
Vitamin B supplementary food
Vitamins A and D tablets
Powdered tea (to supply vitamin C)
A portion of fuel and matches.
Small extra amounts of all items were included so that
the rations could be stretched or slightly increased. The fuel was
in 3-ounce cans, one can being intended to cook two portions of
rice.
The daily ration per man for the Japanese garrison on
Kolombangara from April to July, 1943, was approximately as
follows:
Polished rice ..... 1 lb. 7
oz.
Canned goods ..... 2.8 oz.
Dehydrated food ..... 2.8 oz.
Sugar ..... .7 oz.
Salt ..... .35 oz.
Pickles ..... .5 oz.
Soy-bean sauce ..... .07 pint
The garrison commander on Kolombangara in May issued an
order which read: "Burdock, chopped seaweed, white kidney beans,
sweet potatoes, and dried gourd shavings will be issued as
dehydrated food. Canned goods will be issued mainly from broken
boxes in order to get rid of the goods in the broken boxes. Since
the fixed quantity of powdered soy-bean sauce and sugar is not
available, they will be distributed proportionately from goods on
hand."
Emergency air-crew rations found recently in a wrecked
Japanese plane (New Guinea) included 20 ounces of unpolished rice
and the following other items: puffed wheat, biscuits, a dried
fish, two small bottles of concentrated wine (35 percent alcohol),
some candy wrapped in colored cellophane, large salt tablets, and a
portable water-purifying set. These items were divided among five
transparent, water-proof bags.
Probably the most common type of Japanese canned food
found to date in the South Pacific is compressed fish (principally
salmon and bonito), which may sometimes require soaking and salting
to make it palatable. Other items of Japanese food found included:
pickled plums, dehydrated vegetables (beans, peas, cabbage,
horseradish, burdock, seaweed), compressed barley cakes, rice
cakes, canned oranges and tangerines, sake (rice beer), powdered
tea leaves, slices of ginger, salted plum cake, canned beef, cooked
whale meat, confections, and vitamin tablets.
On Makin Island, stored food found by U.S. troops
consisted largely of rice, which was contained in heavy, woven
rice-straw bags. It is interesting to note that after the bags were
emptied they were filled with sand and used to protect underground
shelters, defensive positions, and so forth. In addition to rice,
our troops found considerable stores of canned fish (mostly salmon
and sardines), meat, vegetables, fruit, and milk.
3. SUPPLEMENTARY RATIONS
The Japanese use a variety of methods to obtain
supplementary rations, or food to meet emergencies. These methods
include gardening, fishing (sometimes by use of dynamite), dealing
with natives, and foraging by individuals and small groups.
The Japanese soldier has a fondness for sweets, which
he usually gets in "comfort bags" sent from home. He also is issued
sweets at certain times, along with a ration of sake. Such
issues are usually made to coincide with a Japanese national
festival or holiday.2