Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-10
JAPAN'S IMPORTS DECREASE
Those From the United States Fall Off 18
Per Cent.
Operation of the Protective Tariff
Which Went Into Eject January
I-AnaIysis of Statistics.

Japan's imports are rapidly deCrea sing
under her new tariff. which went into eff
feet at the beginning of the present year,
though her exports go on increasing mean
time statement just received by the
treasury bureau of statistics shows that
the total imports of Japan during the first
seven months of the present year were ILL.,
531,7 yen. against III ,o743Ts in the cor
responding months of last year. While the
exports in the same time were 106,7IO.111
yen, against S2,1Ss791 yen in the CORE
spending 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 its pre-
decessor. have decreased 81 per cent. Rates
of duty under the former japanese tariff
were in few, if any, cases in excess of .
per cent.
Increase in Duties.
The new tariff. which wert into effect
January /, 1899, however. ievies duties
ranging from 10 per cent to 40 per cent,
very few falling below 10 per cent. and
those on articles which come into compe-
tition with domestic manufactures ranging
10 per cent 20 per cent and 20 per cent ad-
valorem. How much this; new tariff has
to do with the marked reduction in Japan
csc imports is of course, a matter OF con-
lecture though the fact that her imports
had been rapidly increasing in the years
preceding the adoption of the new tarin at
least suggests that this had something 10
do with the marked change in the course
Of imports beginning with January /, 1879,
the date at which the new tariff actually
went into effect. The total imports of ia
pan increased from 63,oooOoO yen in 1891 10
III 100000 in 1894. 171,OoO0o0 in 1896, 219,
900 in 1897 and 21Tooo,Hon yen in ISIS.
thus showing an average CROWN OF fuily
20 per cent per annum, while the hsureS OF
the present year, as already indicated, snow
a reduction of 81 per cent as compaI ed with
the corresponding months of 1888.
This marked reduction in Japans i'm
ports suggests an inquiry as to how great
an effect it is having upon her purchases
from the United States. An examination OF
our own statement of exports to Japan
made during the seven months covered by
the japanese figures shows reduction VI
only 49, per cent in our sales 10 Japan.
against 81 per cent in those of the world
at large as shown by her own statement OF
imports, referred to above
Failing on in Imports.
A study in detail of the imports Of Japan
in the seven months of 1888 under consId-
Grafton shows that while a very consider
able share Of the reduction in imports is
due to the small importatons of rice in
the present year, as compared with those
of last year, nearly all of the other arti-
CleS of importation also show reduction.
Cotton yarns, for instance, fell from o.
1O3964 yen in seven months Of 1Sss, to
l,Nittbl yen IN the same uiOIlllS Oh 1890
imports of machinery, from 1851
209 yen to ; 239, 75S yen; bar iron,
from 3,291.532 to 1G93,9s5 yen; To-
comoives, from 3,67,os0 yen to 1,95s,Go"
yen, gray shrtings, from 2,Sa2oI1 yen 70
l,2l9,s1s yen; mousseline detaine, from
2,745,0@} yen to 2.059,573 yen; steel rails,
from 2,2o5,216 yen to 3S4,I4G yen; watches,
from 1,6l3,2o5 yen to Ss,ol3 yen; cotton
satins and velvets, from 1,54l,524 yen to
242,93o yen: printing paper, from 40. 40
yen to 2SS,I32 yen; structural iron for
bridges and building, from 1864, i24 Yen. to
14S,6s4 yen; wooden cloths, from 1.OI2,3rG
yen to 43T .3o1 yen, pig iron, from l.oo3, 42l
yen to 5645TS yen; flour, from 9O3,6l1 yen
to 533 $50. all the above statements relat-
ing to the first seven months Of ISIS, COM
pared with the first seven months of 1899.
Imports From America.
Taking our own statement of exports
during the present year, it is found that
eight of the twenty-four principal articles
show ar increase in the value of eXporta-
tons to Japan IN the seven months of 1899,
compared with those of 1898, the articles
in which there has been an increase being
books and maps. scientific instruments,
typewriters. naval stores canned beef,
cheese. and leaf tobacco. In cotton the re-
ductiOn in exports has been very slight,
being for the seven months of 1899 $4.954.-
T41, against s. NS, 40 in the same months
Of 1898, while in tobacco the increase has
been very great, being in the seven months
of the present year $3.50. $40, against SITS
456 in the same months Of last year. The
principal articles showing decrease in eX-
portatiOns to Japan are cars and car
rtageS, clocks and watches. cotton cloth,
| rails for railways railway locomotives.
structural iron, builders hardware, lumber
and furniture.
While our own statement and that of
Japan agree in showing a reduction of
the sales of the United States to that
country, that of Japan, as already indicat-
ed, shows that the reduction in her pur-
chases from us is very much less than that
in her purchases from other parts of the
world, the reduction in her total imports