皇室御一行様★アンチ編★part1075
目黒侍従の反論
December 9, 2007
Japanese fish
The Emperor of Japan's Rosy Bitterlings
Sir, I have been assisting His Majesty’s research on gobioid fishes for almost 40 years and would like to draw
your attention to some factual inaccuracies in the article “Emperor takes the blame for bringing killer fish
to Japan” (Nov 13 ).
The article indicates that the introduction of American Bluegills into Lake Biwa, with their fierce appetite for
Rosy Bitterlings, has prompted the extinction of the latter. However, it was authentic Japanese Rosy Bitterlings
that became extinct, not because they were eaten by American Bluegills, but because of hybridisation and competition
between Japanese Rosy Bitterlings and Continental Rosy Bitterlings, which had been introduced into Japan from China
in the 1940s, and were bigger in size than Japanese Rosy Bitterlings. Today only Continental Rosy Bitterlings live
in Lake Biwa and its connected water systems.
December 9, 2007
Japanese fish
The Emperor of Japan's Rosy Bitterlings
Sir, I have been assisting His Majesty’s research on gobioid fishes for almost 40 years and would like to draw
your attention to some factual inaccuracies in the article “Emperor takes the blame for bringing killer fish
to Japan” (Nov 13 ).
The article indicates that the introduction of American Bluegills into Lake Biwa, with their fierce appetite for
Rosy Bitterlings, has prompted the extinction of the latter. However, it was authentic Japanese Rosy Bitterlings
that became extinct, not because they were eaten by American Bluegills, but because of hybridisation and competition
between Japanese Rosy Bitterlings and Continental Rosy Bitterlings, which had been introduced into Japan from China
in the 1940s, and were bigger in size than Japanese Rosy Bitterlings. Today only Continental Rosy Bitterlings live
in Lake Biwa and its connected water systems.
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Alarmed by the impending extinction of Japanese Rosy Bitterlings, His Majesty, then the Crown Prince, advocated
prompt research on the plight of Japanese Rosy Bitterlings in their natural habitat and also started working on
preservation of the species in a pond in the Akasaka Imperial Garden ensuring that no Continental Rosy Bitterlings be
released in the pond. As a result, Japanese Rosy Bitterlings have been bred, and are utilised as specimens for taxonomical
and genetic research. Today Japanese Rosy Bitterlings are found in ponds in the western part of Japan where
Continental Rosy Bitterlings have not been introduced.
I should also like to point out that His Majesty is not a marine biologist as described in the article, but an
ichthyologist specialising in gobioid fishes that live in the sea and in rivers. The number of species of the gobioid
fishes in Japanese waters is now over 400.
Katsusuke Meguro
Chamberlain to H. M. The Emperor
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article3025712.ece
prompt research on the plight of Japanese Rosy Bitterlings in their natural habitat and also started working on
preservation of the species in a pond in the Akasaka Imperial Garden ensuring that no Continental Rosy Bitterlings be
released in the pond. As a result, Japanese Rosy Bitterlings have been bred, and are utilised as specimens for taxonomical
and genetic research. Today Japanese Rosy Bitterlings are found in ponds in the western part of Japan where
Continental Rosy Bitterlings have not been introduced.
I should also like to point out that His Majesty is not a marine biologist as described in the article, but an
ichthyologist specialising in gobioid fishes that live in the sea and in rivers. The number of species of the gobioid
fishes in Japanese waters is now over 400.
Katsusuke Meguro
Chamberlain to H. M. The Emperor
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article3025712.ece