Directory_and_Chronicle_1937 — Page 272

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JAPAN

the administrative power, being practically supreme in their respective domains conditionally upon their loyalty to the Shogun; but their rank and power disappeared with the Shogunate. On the 7th July, 1884, however, His Majesty issued an Imperial Notification and Rescript rehabilitating the nobility, and admitting to its ranks the most distinguished civil and military officials who took part in the work of the Restoration- The old titles were abolished, and have been replaced by those of Prince (Ko), Marquis (Ko), Count (Ilaku), Viscount (Shi), and Baron (Dan).

POPULATION

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 1930, was 64,447,724 for Japan Proper; 21,057,969 for Korea; 4,594,161 for Forinosa; and 295,187 for Saghalien. The most populous cities are Osaka, Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Kobe, Yokohama and Nagasaki in the order named. 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.

Extension of the Japanese railway systems has proceeded uninterruptedly since the first line was laid in 1872. The mileage open to traffic in Japan proper (ex- cluding Chosen,

Chosen, Formosa and Saghalien), according to the 1930 returns,

and is 8,826 miles of State railway and 5,769 miles of private railway. The Govern- ment in 1906 decided on the State ownership of all railways which are used for general traffic, the object being to improve the facilities for direct traffic over long distances, to accelerate transportation, and to cheapen the cost. The Government proposed to purchase the lines belonging to 32 private companies within a period extending from 1906 to 1911, but the House of Peers, when the Bills came before them, reduced the number of companies to be bought out to 17 and extended the period of purchase to 1915. The aggregate length of the lines it was decided to purchase was 2,812 miles. It was soon found advisable for various reasons to carry through the whole transaction in one year, and the sum of Yen 483,563,325 was paid during the two years 1907-8 and 1908-9. As a result of the war with Russia, the South Manchurian Railway was taken over by Japan. There are well over 4,000 miles of electric tramway in Japan, with many more under construction.

By treaties made with a number of foreign Governments the Japanese ports of Kanagawa (Yokohama), Nagasaki, Kobe, Hakodate, Niigata, and the cities of Tokyo (formerly called Ycdo) and Osaka were thrown open to foreign commerce. In 1894 new treaties were signed with the Powers by which extra-territoriality was abolished and the whole country opened to foreign trade and residence, the treaty to come into force in July, 1899. Actually, extra-territoriality ceased to exist on August 4th, 1899.

EDUCATION TION

Education is national and very general in Japan, and is making great progress.. There are numerous High Schools, Middle Schools, Normal Schools, and Colleges for special studies--such as Law, Commerce, Science, Medicine, Mining, Agriculture, and Foreign Languages--and several Female High Schools have been established, and are carefully fostered by the Government. In order to facilitate the prosecution of foreign studies the Government employs many European professors, and also sends, at the public expense, a large number of students every year to America and Europe..

THE EARTHQUAKES OF 1923 AND 1930

An appalling earthquake-probably the most disastrous in its consequences of any recorded in the history of the world-occurred in Tokyo and Yokohama and the surrounding district on September 1st, 1923, as a result of which 100,000 people were killed, 43,000 were missing and believed to be dead and 113,000 were injured. The material damage was enormous. A very large proportion of the buildings in the capital and the chief port were reduced to dust and ashes by the earthquake and the fires which followed. The official returns gave a total of 6,962 factories destroyed, and assessed the damage at yen $380,000,000. Great progress has been made in Tokyo and Yokohama with re-construction work on the most modern lines.