Directory_and_Chronicle_1914 — Page 623

JAPAN

619

At the conclusion of the war with China, Japan found herself in possession of a fighting fleet of forty-three serviceable vessels-independent of twenty-six torpedo- boats their aggregate displacement being 78,774 tons. Of these, ten, with an aggregate displacement of 15,055 tons, had been captured from China, namely, an armour-clad turret-ship of 7,335 tons, two steel cruisers, six steel gunboats, and one wooden gunboat. Prior to the capture of the Chen-yuen, now called the Chin-yen, Japan did not possess a line-of-battle ship. Her fleet consisted entirely of compara- tively small vessels. There were also on the stocks two steel cruisers and a steel despatch vessel. An expansion scheme, extending from 1st April, 1896, to 31st March, 1906, was then adopted and orders were subsequently placed for ships in Great Britain, the United States, France, and Germany, as well as in the home yards. The war with Russia augmented Japan's naval strength considerably, and many fine ships have since been built. She possesses now a fine fleet of 18 battleships and 13 first-class, 4 battle-cruisers and 13 armoured cruisers, 19 protected cruisers, 4 unprotected cruisers, 117 torpedo-boats and destroyers and 15 submarines. The shipbuilding yards of Japan are now constructing super-Dreadnoughts.

POPULATION, TRADE, AND INDUSTRY

The total area of Japan, exclusive of Formosa and Chosen, is estimated at 163,042 square miles, and the population in 1912 was estimated to be 52,200,679. There are, exclusive of Chinese, about 5,000 foreigners residing in Japan, more than one-third of that number being British subjects. Japan is geographically divided into the four islands: Honshiu, the central and most important territory; Kiushui, "nine pro- vinces," the south-western island; Shikoku, "the four provinces," the southern island; and Yezo, the most northerly and least developed. The former three islands are sub-divided into eight large areas, containing sixty-six provinces, and the latter (Yezo or Hokkaido) is divided into eleven provinces.

The total value of the foreign trade for the last six years was:-

1907

1908

1909

1910

1911

1912

Exports, Yen 432,421,873 378,245,673 413,112,511 455,091,860 442,996,848 526,981,842 Imports, 494,467,346 436,257,462 394,198,843 463,482,735 512,942,169 618,160,786

""

Total Yen 926,889,219 814,503,135 807,311,354 918,574,595 955,939,017 1,145,142,628 The balance of trade for some years past has been against Japan, excepting in the years 1907 and 1909. In 1912 imports exceeded exports to the value of ninety-one million yen. Nearly 33 per cent. of Japan's total foreign trade is with Great Britain and its Colonies and Dependencies.

The trade of 1912 was divided between the old Treaty Ports as under :

Yokohama Kobe Nagasaki Osaka Moji Other Ports. Totals. Expts., Y. 257,850,512 150,475,871| 3,953,504(57,312,896|15,797,852|41,591,207| 526,981,842 Impts.,,, 215,144,650 301,919,275 12,658,717|26,306,837|26,827,570 35,303,737 618,160,786

Totals, ,,472,995,162 452,395,146|16,612,221 83,619,733 42,625,422 76,894,944 1,145,142,628 The following was the total value of the trade with Foreign Countries in 1912 :-

Exports

-

United States of America India, Australia and Canada

Yen 168,708,896

Imports 127,015,757

Total 295,724,653

""

37,085,271

157,367,683

194,452,954

China..

""

114,823,727

54,807,116

169,630,843

Continent of Europe..

"7

84,521,493

87,161,640

161,683,133

Great Britain

29,791,898

116,146,973

145,938,871

Kwangtung Province..

"

27,544,858

25,707,353

53,252,211

Hongkong

"

28,712,905

881,550

29,594,455

Dutch Indies

"9

4,343,389

19,063,191

23,406,580

Philippines and Siam

6,872,052

8,813,407

""

15,685,459

British Straits Settlements.

""

8,891,269

4,720,905

13,612,174

•

Hawaii, Egypt and South Africa

6,559,550

6,419,986

12,979,536

French Indo-China

349,239

10,643,692

10,992,931

Other Countries..

"}

2,894,298

6,343,514

9,237,812

Asiatic Russia.

3,542,176

669,098

4,211,274

Mexico, Peru and Chili

19

Unknown..

""

895,804 1,445,017

1,862,622

2,758,426

536,299

1,981,316

526,981,842

618,160,786

1,145,142,628