The times., 1899-11-11
THE COMMERCE OF JAPAN.
4 Decrease in Imports and an In
crease fn Exports

4 Decrease in Imports and an In
crease in Exports.
Jspan's imports are rapidly decreasing
under her new tariff which went into effect
at the beginning Of the present wear.
though her exports 90 on increasing men
time. a statement just received by the
Treasury Bureau Of Statistics shows tha.
the total imports OF Japan during che arst
seven months Of the present year were
lll.5SI-144 yen, against I77.074.37S In the
corresponding months OF last year. while
the exports In the same time were lee
lI0,12l yen. against S2.1SS. .191 ven In The
corresponding months OF last year. Thus.
while her exports have increased - per
cent. her imports under the new tariff.
which IS mildly protective as compared
with It's predecessor. have decreased 81
per cent. Rates Of duty under the former
japanese tariff were IN few IL any cases
in excess Of 5 per cent The new tarilf.
which went into effect January T. 1889.
however, levies duties ranging from 10 per
cent to 30 per cent. very few falling below
10 per cent and those on articles which
come into competition with domestic man
ufaetures ranging IS, % and 25 per cent
ad vaIorem.
How much this new tarin has TO 10 With
the marked reduction in japanese imports
IS, OF course il is said matter OF con se-
ture, though the fact that her Imports had
been rapidly increasing in the years pre-
ceding the adoption Of the new tariF at
I-least suggests that this had something 20
do with the marked change iu The course
OF imports beginning With January l. 1899
the date at which the new tariff actually
went into effect. The total inp.rts o. Ja-
pan have increased from 90 .00U. .0lU yen a
1891 10 1i7.000. 900 in 1894 I7l0GB.000 in
1886. 2l9 coo, ,000 in 1881 and 81. 600 600 yen
in 1895 thus showing an average groSth
OF fully 20 per cent per annum. while the
figures OF the present year. as already in
dicated show a reduction OF 81 res cent as
compared with the corresponding months
Of 1898.
This marked reduction in Japan Imports
suggests an enquiry as to how great an e.
feet il is having upon her purchases from
the United States. An examination o. our
own statement OF exports to Japan made
during the seven months covered By the
: Japanese figures shows reduction Of only
1872 per cent in our sales % Japan. asa Z
81 per cent in those Of the world at larss
as shown by her own statement Of Imports.
referred TO above.
study in detail Of the imports of
Japan in the seven months Of 1880. under
consideration, shows that while very con
siderable share of the reduction in i'm
ports is due to the small impOrtariOus OF
rice in the present year as compared with
those Of last year. nearly all OF Jns other
articles Of importation also show re-
duction. Cotton yarns, for instance, fen
from 6103. 964 yen in seven months OF lssS
to I61 yen in the same months q
1899; imports of machinery from 46972 209
o.
2g1 533 10 1,093, $50 yen; locomotives. from
3,067 0S0 yen to 1.95S 500 yen; grey shirt
ings, from 2.S92,0TI ven. TO I.2f9.SlS yen;
mOusseIine de laIue. from If5. .a35 yen, 90
205S,5I3 ven; steel rails, from 2ZQ5.ZI8
ven 10 3S4, 146 yen; watches. from 1873 .205
yen, to sob yen; cotton, saLius. and weir
vets. from 1,541. .524 yen, to- Z4Z-931 yen;
printing paper. from 1435 fi5 ysn to 2SS.=
O92 yen; structural iron for bridges and
buildings from 1854 424 yen 10 1fS,6St
yen; woOleu cloths from 1872. .355 ven, to
457.301 yen, pig iron from lUt3.42l yen, 70
J6457S ven; -four from g09 5Il yen, TO
553 3S5 yen; all the above statements re-
Iatiug 10 the first seven months Of 1S9S.
compared with the first seven months Of
1899
Taking the American statement Of ex-
ports during the present year. it is found
that eight Of the tweuJy-fOur principal ar
tiCIes show an Increase in the value Of eX-
portations 10 Japan in the seven months
Of 1899, compared with those Of 1898. the
articles in which there has been an in
crease being books and maps. scientific
instruments typewriJers, naval stores
canned beef. cheese, and leaf tobacco. 10
cotton the reduction in exports has been
very slight. being for the seven months
Of 1899 81 954 I41, against S5.O63,lI5 in the
same months of 1895 while In tobacco the
increase has been very great. being in the
seven months Of the present year $3.50
SIS, against S17S456 in the same months Of
last year The principal articles show
ing a decrease in expectations to Japan
are cars and carriages clocks and watches,
cotton cloth rails for railways. railway To-
comOtives, structural iron builders hard
ware lumber and furniture.
While our own statement and that or
Japan agree in showing a reduction Of the
sales of the United States TO that country.
that Of Japan. as already indicated, shows
that the reduction ia her purchases from
us is very much less Jhau that in her pur-
chases from other parts Of the world. the
reduction in her total imports being q
per cent and in her imports from the
United States 1S.2 per cent.