The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-25
FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC con.
DfTION OF JAPAN.
vu.-snnlnx ana Ftshins.

Mining and fishing arc lines OF occupation
and industry upon which q considerable
number OF the Japanese people depend
for their maintenance. Statistics give
IsA. CTS az the number Of mine employees
in June. 1906. The figures for the fisheries
are not ut hand. About one-half Of the
miners arc engaged In the production Of
coal. which In now being taken out at tho
rate of about 1000, 600 tons q month. The
valus 10 given as s2o. Ooo, 1000 for the nearly
Il. 600, 900 tons mined In 1905.
The mining records OF that year show
s,4os tito deeds. with 3.ssS mines in opera
ton and 3,OsA In which no work was being
done. While only about o.. 500. 900 worth
Of petroleum was obtained In 1905. the oil
fever seems to nave been In epidemic. in-
asmuch as the industry leads in number
OF title deeds issued. Following the 7Os
deeds issued to the Japanese rivals OF Amer
lean and Russian oil companies. the list
shows $50 deeds to coal properties. 2s2 TO cop
per properties. 2e4 to gold and silver mines.
a4s TO gold mines. and 90 on down through
a list which includes iron. silver, lead, anti
mony. manganese. sulphur, graphite. phos.
phorus and pyrites. The total value Of the
output Of all for 1905 was a little less than
so, oOo. 900. with coal representing one-halS
Of that.
Copper, with a value Of si2 900. 900. stands
first on the list Of metals. Gold follows
with q, 900, OO0; then silver with 81. 65O, ooN,
and iron with 81, 800 600. Lead shows $780,
900; antimony. $4,000. and manganese.
$50, 900. The value OF the sulphur output
wal S287,OOO. and the value OF other mire
products Is trifing. The future Of Japan's
mining industry. with the exception OF coal.
Ii entirely speculative. with tho chances
against its important development in any
line. Yet probably as long as there are in
dications Of metals there will be hope and
holes in the ground.
Neither the numbss Of people employed
nor the number OF fishing boats is given in
the Japanese Economic Annual. A few years
ago Pierre Leroy-Beaulieu estimated the
fishing fleet as composed OF mot less thai
600. 900 OF those graceful one sailed junks
that sometimes seriously impede the prog
ress of the numerous steamers in the inland
sea-" The fishing grounds are by no means
limited to those particular waters. Japan
claims a total coast line Of nearly 5000
miles, and many are the fshing villages
thereon. While the great majority Of the
Japanese fishermen venture only a few
miles from the shore. larger boats may he
seen all the way from Alaska to the Philip
pines. The catch Of the entire feet is valued
at SIS, 900. 900 a year. or nearly double the
value of the catch OF ten years ago. The
industry grows because it must. There
is not room on land for all the people, and
those for whom there is room need the food
supplied by the sea.
Recent years have seen a large increase
in the number of boats suitable for deep
sea fishing in distant waters. There has
been a considerable increase in the sealing
feet and some attention is given to the
whaling industry. II il the expressed be-
lief Of Official japan that the fisheries will
find All extensive development in the near
future.