For the past few years, Japan has dealt with invasions of giant Echizen jellyfish -- a.k.a., Nomura's jellyfish -- which can grow up to 6 feet in diameter and weigh up to 120 pounds. In the summer of 2005, for example, every day 300 million to 500 million Echizen jellyfish were flowing into the Sea of Japan. In an effort to contain the invasions, Japan has begun setting up observation stations, providing forecasts on jellyfish plagues, and installing nets fitted with special knives intended to slice the jellyfish to bits. The only solution, however, seems to be to contain the source of the plague. And what is the source? Some Japanese are looking to their neighbor: China.

In December 2005, researchers from Japan, China and South Korea met in Shanghai to discuss the plagues. At the conference, a Japanese researcher suggested that the plagues originated in the coastal areas of China and were triggered by eutrophication -- the process by which a body of water becomes enriched in dissolved nutrients. Other theories fingered the Three Gorges Dam and global warming. Naturally, China said it wasn't their fault.

Although Japan is suffering from the outbreaks, China seems to be fairly non-responsive. This might not be all that surprising, considering Tongchuan Aquatic Market, Shanghai's largest marine wholesale market, has about 2,000 outlets, complete with a "jellyfish street" lined with dozens of jellyfish shops, which sell several types of jellyfish -- even Echizen jellyfish. In the meantime, the Japanese are doing their best to make lemonade from the jellyfish: some entrepreneurs have developed jellyfish dishes -- ranging from tofu to ice cream -- and some farmers have begun feeding the jellyfish to crabs or using them as fertilizer.