462
JAPAN
pansion 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.
POPULATION, TRADE, AND INDUSTRY
There
The total area of Japan, exclusive of Formosa and Chosen, is estimated at 163,042 square miles. The population of the Empire, according to the returns from the Census Board in 1920, was 77,005,510, viz., 55,961,140 for Japan Proper; 17,284,207 for Korea; 3,654,398 for Formosa; and 105,765 for Saghalien. The most populous cities are Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, Nagoya, and Yokohama in the order named. 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- provinces," the south-western island; Shikoku, "the four provinces," the southern island; and Hokkaido, the most northerly and least developed. The first three islands are sub-divided into eight large areas, containing 66 provinces, and the latter (Hokkaido) is divided into 11 provinces.
The total value of the foreign trade in recent years is shown below:-
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
E'ports, Y. 1,603,005,048 1,962,100,668 2,098,872,617 1,948,394,611 1,252,837,715 1,637,451,818- I'ports, Y. 1,035,811,107 1,668,143,833 2,173,459,880 2,336,174,781 1,614,154,832 1,890,308,232:
Total Y. 2,638,816,155 3,630,244,501 4,272,332,497 4,284,569,392 2,866,992,547 3,527,760,050.
In 1922 there was an increase both of exports and of imports as compared with the prveious year, but there is still an excess of imports. Japan's favourable position for engaging in foreign trade, gained during the war, has now been lost, and her foreign trade continues to be in an unsatisfactory condition, because manufacturers persist in the foolish policy of refusing to cut prices. Their usual method of attempting to meet foreign competition in the home market is to press the Government to raise the import tariff. It must be remembered that the domestic market has been enlarged during and since the war, but it is questionable how long this factor will enable manu- facturers and others to continue their present policy, as war profits are gradually being exhausted. During the Great War the arrival of European articles having almost ceased in the Far East, South Seas, and other markets, their place was taken by Japanese. Exports were further increased by the supply of war and other materials to the Allies. Imports, though affected by the war in some directions, also grew owing to the brisk demand for raw materials occasioned by the unusual prosperity of home industries. The growth of sea-borne trade in 1919 and 1920, however, was due more to the advance in prices than to the increase in quantities.
The following was the value of the trade with certain foreign countries in 1922:-
United States China'
Great Britain
British India
...
...
Kwantung Province
Germany
Dutch Indies
...
...
Australia
France
...
Straits Settlements
Canada
Africa
Asiatic Russia
South America
Hongkong
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Exports
732,376,607
Imports 596,169,490-
...
333,520,262
186,343,719
...
54,437,542
232,310,383
...
97,203,874
254,088,879-
...
...
...
71,858,804
130,574,264
...
:.:
...
...
...
3,724,051
110,622,311
47,400,769
71,757,858
...
...
...
...
36,711,861
82,090,005.
...
78,686,296
18,462,691
...
21,341,866
18,810,644
...
...
13,687,282
16,559,153
...
...
...
11,643,893
17,019,552:
...
...
10,934,651
17,995,254
...
10,359,854
7,575,018.
...
65,421,815
690,035,
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