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than rice (which became increasingly scarce after 1937); it was easy to store
and transport; and it was ready-to-eat. The last point was particularly
important, since fuel for cooking was rationed. Moreover, confiscation of
scrap metal, needed for the production of aeroplanes, tanks and other frontline
necessities, deprived many households of cooking equipment. Due to
the shortage of cans, after 1942 canned provisions were destined exclusively
for the battlefield. The home front had to make do with the ceramic substitutes
patented by the Great Japan Air Defence Provisions Co. (see p. 129).
They used the same principle of food conservation as metal cans – sterilization
by heat in a hermetically sealed container – and could be safely stored
in case of emergency. 33
Early wartime initiatives, such as the ‘Rising Sun Lunch Box’ and the
‘Meatless Day’, which prohibited the consumption of meat in Tokyo on
the 8th and 28th day of each month, were merely the beginning of dietary
deprivation that would continue throughout the 1940s. 34 Rationing of
sugar and matches was introduced in June 1940, followed by firewood in
October and milk in December. The following year marked a dramatic
shift towards the rationing of a wide range of foodstuffs, from luxuries
such as sake, beer and confectionery, to daily necessities like rice, wheat
Distributing rationed firewood, 1943.
128