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PRIVATE.........
526
JUZKI & COMPANY,
HIGASHI KAWASAKI CHO 1, CHOME
KOBE.
August 15th, 1918.
Dear Bire,
«e regret very much to have to inform you that our offices were burnt down by a fire set by a riot on the 12th instant, but are glad to add that our business will be con- tinued as usual and we will do everything in our nower, Band as before, to justify the confidence placed in us by your Koodselves.
We feel it necessary to give you some explanation as to the cause and nature of the riot. Japan was not an exception to the general advance of prices in foodstuffa and every other thing. Our extensive organization enabled us to take the lion's share of export and import trade of rice, flour and other foodstuffs and since a year ago the grenter part of export and re-export of rice (Japan as tran- sit depot between producing and consuming countries) and flour (especially the supply of 50,000 tons of flour to the British Goverment by ourselves) were topics of the trade, And it culminated to the false impresalon among the ignorant public that the advance in the price of foodstuffs is due to the commring by Buzuki & Co. Since the beginning of the month the price of rice advanced by leaps and bounds and seemed to know no bounds and the public placed no confidence. in the policy of the Goverment who has been endeavouring to depress rice price by the supply of imported rice since some months back. This adverse nttitude to the Government turned to the hatred towards us who are most prominent among. the authorized importers of rice. The rice riots began in Kyoto and Osaką, and Kobe was also infected by the riots
roania,