Directory_and_Chronicle_1932 — Page 397

MOJI AND SHIMONOSEKI

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These two towns are situated on either side of Shimonoseki Straits, the western entrance of the Inland Sea-Moji with a population of 114,000 on the south and Shimonoseki with a population of 98,000 on the north. Shimono- seki is under the jurisdiction of Yamaguchi (population 34,000), 51 miles away, and Moji under that of Fukuoka (population 213,000), 47 miles away. The foreign merchants formerly all had their offices in Shimonoseki, but owing to the very rapid growth of Moji during the last 28 years, due mainly to its becoming an important coal centre, most of the foreign and Japanese main and local branch offices have removed to Moji. The city has now fine roads, and commercial buildings. The head office of the Kyushu section of the Railway Bureau at Moji controls also part of the mainland and the eight hour Fusan ferry service. An imposing Government building has been com- pleted to house the Customs, Harbour, Marine Bureaux at Moji, and now wharves, capable of mooring steamers drawing 30 feet, are made near by. Moji has important trade with the following neighbouring cities:-Kokura, population 85,000; Yawata (Government Steel Works) 160,000; Tobata 44,000; Wakamatsu, 60,000. There is a fairly strong tidal current through the Straits, but the anchorage, which is at Moji, is only affected by an eddy, and good holding ground is general. Steamers entering from the West can get pilots at Rokuren Light, where boats have to stop in any case for medical inspection and harbour-master's instructions. From the eastward this inspec- tion takes place at Hesaki Light. Means of transport are good. Liners run regularly to all foreign ordinary ports of call; and, while from Shimonoseki the Sanyo Railway taps the north, from Moji the Kiushiu Railway taps the south of Japan. The Shimonoseki Station Hotel provides good accommoda- tion for foreigners. The Imperial Railway Department has also four large ferry boats plying between Moji and the Shimonoseki Station, while a ten-minute ferry plies between the usual landing places at Moji and Shimonoseki. There was a project on foot to construct a tunnel under the Straits. However, this has been abandoned and a scheme for bridging the Straits is now on foot. Both towns have municipal waterworks, are lit by electricity, and are con- nected by telephone with the principal towns, from Kagoshima and Nagasaki, in the south, to Tokyo in the north-east. It should be specially noted that photographing and sketching are forbidden within a radius of ten miles round Shimonoseki and Moji on land and sea. The law in this respect is strictly enforced and ignorance is not accepted as an excuse.

Moji Shimonoseki

1930.

Exports

43,753,047

1,807,800

Imports 60,922,895

518,583

MOJI DIRECTORY OF FOREIGN FIRMS

BABCOCK & WILCOX, LTD., Patent Water Tube Boilers and Auxiliary Plant-3102, 2-chome, Uchihama- cho, Moji; Teleph. 689; Cable Ad: Babcock

BAGNALL & HILLES, Merchants-Higa-

shi, Hon-machi, 1-chome; Cable Ad: Mitsumaru

BRUNNER, MOND & Co. (JAPAN) LTD.-

1, Sanbashi-dori; P.O.

Cable Ad: Crescent

E. H. Fisher, manager

Box 41;

HUNTER & Co.-Hagoromo--cho

MITBUI BUSSAN KAISHA, LTD.-4, Sam-

bashi-dori, 2-chome; Cable Ad: Mitsui

S. Hasegawa, manager

K. Tsuzuki, assist. do. Agencies

Hamburg-Amerika Line Norddeutscher Lloyd

NICHZUI TRADING CO., LTD., (Engin- eering Department)-Daimai Build- ing, Kiyotaki-machi; Cable Ad: Nichizuico