Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-06-28
JAP INDUSTRIES
MAY co TO China
Business Enterprises Consider Plan
To Move Plants to Escape Chinese
Import Duties.

ELECTROMAGNETIC of The AS
ISOLATED Press. THE removal OF some
of Japan's industries to China is beng
recommended by Minoru Okla. chief OF
bureau at the ministry of commerce.
The suggestion is offered as a practl-
cal means of avoiding the disadvan-
tageous effect Of a possible increase IN
Chinese import duties, and is received
with interest here because Japan at
this time is using every effort to in
crease her markets in China.
Mr.. Oka's idea is that japanese fac
tories should produce in China the
amount of goods that would be nor
mally exported to that country from
Japan. That is the best way, in his
opinion, for Japanese business men to
prepare for the eventuality OF an In
crease of Chinese customs.
The Japanese Foreign Trade associ-
alton is making special study of con-
ditions in China with view to extern
sion of trade relations there. Mr.. Okla
believes that the best locality for the
setting up of Japanese factories would
be the Yang-Tse valley as the popu-
lation there is the largest, labor the
cheapest, raw materials the most
abundant and the supply of coal con-
venient In central China generally he
recommends the organization of such
industries as spinning, weaving, -four
milling, leather works, glass and soap
making, priting, building materials,
iron works, match making. shipbuild-
ing, machinery, breweries and aerated
waters. These industries, he points
out, have already been we'll developed
! in Japan and it should be comparative
| ly easy to send to China engineers and
skilled laborers. He thinks it import
/ ant, however, that the enterprises
| should be as much as possible joint
Japanese and Chinese concerns. Such
an arrangement would be mutually
beneficial and would enhance the cor
diality between the two nations.
Although Japan's commercial and
industrial development since the be-
ginning of the war has been all that
could be desired, Mr.. Okla expresses
his belief that after the war is over
there will again be a strong CONNER
cial competition among the world
powers and he fears that Japan is not
| y
her to cope successfully with the COM
petition. He remarks that one of the
serious industrial questions of the
| present day in Japan is how to in
crease the supply of iron. The present
condition is far from satisfactory. be-
cause to meet the average demand for
100000 tons year the total home
supply is only $4,000 tons. The bulk
of Japan's iron used in manufacture
comes from China and the present SEES
sion OF the diet voted an extension OF
Japan iron foundries which are locat-
ed in kyushu. This is expected to
meet the increased home demand for
the metal. Meantime imports from the
United States are increasing.
The Woodworking industry in Japan
| has in recent years made remarkable
progress, but the home market must
still rely upon the foreign supply to
the amount of over $4,000 a year
The war. however, has prevented i'm
ports and the figures for last year
showed decrease of about seventy
per cent compared with 1918. On the
other hand the export of wooden fab
RIGS exported to Russia last wear
reached over SIS 900 900 Present prices
are about fifty per cent higher than
before the war. Meantime the weaving
industry will be aided by the arrival
of 100000 tons of tops of wool which
will be shipped this month from Eng
land, the embargo having been remov-
ed. The prospect is that the market
will continue strong.
| japanese manufacturers of TOYS