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50
was considerably greater than that of Germany or the United States. The actual decreases in 1930, compared with 1929, in the selected items which are shown in the table below, amounted to 41 per cent. for Great Britain and 36 per cent. for both the United States and Germany.
87. IMPORTS OF CERTAIN PRINCIPAL ITEMS OF MANUFACTURED AND SEMI-MANUFACTURED GOODS INTO JAPAN.
(Values in £1,000.)
From
Great Britain
**
**
From United States.
10
640 390
From Germany
1913
1929 1930 1913 1929 1930
1913 1929
Iron and Steel
2,400
2,420 1,290 1,490
Machinery
1,720
3,430 2,380
920
3,630 1,860 2,100 1,650
870 910
1930
3,990 2,900
4,180 2,600
Ammonium sulphate
1,570
1,770 840
2,330 1,700
Woollen tissues
950
1,500 890
220
390
200
*
*
*
Cotton tissues
920
630 370
40
20
20
Soda and soda-ash
270
380 300
*
*
20 450
20
280
Woollen and worsted
60
340 190
610
720
460
*
**
yarns
Aluminium ingots,
*
130 40
*
40
70
20
590
200
slabs and grains
Paper, printing
140
170! 120
120
80
100
20
20
10
Leather
40
90 70
10
60
50
120
300 160
Wool
730
90
30
30
*
*
**
*
Wood Pulp
30
70
20
220
70
60
10
Automobiles and parts
30
50
30
20
*
50
3,100 1,990
Dyes
*
**
*
700 540
260
**
120 130
TOTALS
*
230 80
| 8,860 '11,070 6,570 |4,380 |9,980 |6,430 |2,010 | 13,640) 8,760
* Negligible.
88. Summing up the position, we find that our decline in the Japanese market is due to-
(a) production in Japan,
(b) the greater ability of the United States to supply the mechanical conveniencies required in modern life,
(c) the lower prices of German and other Continental goods comparable in kind with ours,
(d) the greater energy and intelligence in sales methods of Germany and the United States, and
(e) certain weaknesses in our own distributive methods.
THE POSITION OF THE UNITED STATES. 89. The United States succeeds in Japan's trade because of-
(a) her favourable position as the largest buyer of Japanese exports,
51
(b) her financial interest in several of Japan's public utilities and industries,
(c) as a consequence of (b) the regular presence in Japan of American engineers and business men, and
(d) the fact that the United States has developed to a greater extent than any other country-certainly to a greater extent, than Great Britain-the newer industries, such as the manufacture of motor cars, typewriters, refrigerators, etc.,- articles which are all in considerable and increasing demand in Japan.
The commercial intimacy of Japan and the United States is further strengthened by the latter's position as a supplier to Japan of raw cotton, wheat, timber and oil. The large trade in these products causes constant commercial intercourse between the two countries and creates many common interests.
THE POSITION OF GERMANY.
90. The success which Germany has achieved as an exporter to Japan is, perhaps, even more remarkable than that of the United States, for Germany has no advantage arising from propinquity or from the supply of food or raw materials. Although German goods were eliminated from the Japan market during the war, Germany has regained her pre-war share of the Japanese imports of manufactured goods. As a supplier, she is practically on a level with Great Britain, whereas before the war, her share was half the size of the British share. Germany's success is due to her ability to offer suitable goods at competitive prices, and to her energy and intelligence in studying the market and thereby achieving intimacy with it.
91. From the evidence we have seen, it is quite clear that Great Britain will be unable to hold even the reduced share of Japan's import trade which she now secures unless drastic reductions are made in the prices of British goods.
DISTRIBUTION.
92. Representation of British Manufacturers. Much of the decline of British exports to Japan is attributed in some quarters to the inefficiency of British merchant firms established in that country. Our trade to Japan in pre-war years was largely in the hands of the old-established import and export firms of British nationality. The number of these has diminished as the result of Japanese competition, and of the financial difficulties experienced during the war and after the earthquake of 1923. We have re- ceived a number of criticisms of British merchants in Japan. Some firms are alleged to possess rather liberal ideas as regards home leave and working hours. It is stated that Continental firms work harder than British firms, and that their managers and staffs
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