Rations had to be stout, durable, simple, sturdy and had to survive without refrigeration for long periods of time.
[1] The rations issued by the Imperial Japanese Government usually consisted of rice with barley, meat or fish, pickled or fresh vegetables, umeboshi, shoyu sauce, miso or bean paste, and green tea.
[2] A typical field ration would have 1½ cups of rice, usually mixed with barley to combat nutritional deficiencies such as beriberi.
[4] Typically ¼ cup of canned tuna, or sausages, and/or squid would be cooked from either captured locations or hunting in the nearby area.
Each ration under the "A" scale consisted of about 1 pound and 3 ounces of rice (enough for two meals) and one small can of mixed beef and vegetables.