How Imperial Japan turned to the sardine to help build a war machine

Dynamite made from fish oil was one weapon deployed by an assertive Japan in the early 20th century

By: Pei-Hsu Lin, Washington University in St. Louis, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: August 14, 2026

Words: 1,079

Last Updated: 3 days, 10 hours ago

Body Text Preview

By Pei-Hsu Lin, Washington University in St. Louis

Empires have risen and fallen in their pursuit of precious resources such as oil, gold, tea or spices. But in the first half of the 20th century, an increasingly assertive Imperial Japan relied on a fishier form of wealth to build its military and industrial base: the sardine.

In Japan, sardines are among a group of fish fondly known as “the people’s fish.” Along with Japanese anchovy …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us