The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-27
JAPAN'S EXPORT TRADE ALMOST
 
 DOUBLE IN YEAR
Many New Markets Opened by Nippon Merchants, , Owing to War Op-
 portnity.

DOl GII4Uy.
 Tokio, Feb. 27.-Favored by the European war, which has opened up new markets in foreign lands for Japanese goods Japan's external trade has nearly doubled in value over the figure before the war
 The trade balance for 1861 record ed an excess of 350,O00,OOO yen in the amount of exports over imports. Such enormous excess has never been realized in the foreign trade or Japan since the country was opened to ln- ternational trade. The war has of fered an opportunity for Japanese to deVelope or exploit new markets in European Russia, South Africa, Aus tralia, the South Sea Islands, South America, China, Europe and North America, where unusually large quantities of Japanese goods were ex- ported.
 As by-product of the war, the opening of the new steamer route via the Cape of Good Hope has start ed direct trade between Japan and South Africa and has brought about sudden increase in the volume of Japanese exports Minoru Oka, d1- rector of the bureau of commerce and industry of the department of agriculture and commerce, points out that the European war has offered a fine chance for Japanese to go over seas and seek their fortunes in for eign lands as a basis for future econ omic development of the country abroad He remarks that of 70 mill m csc are resident abroad. Of this num- Der, he says, only a very small per- centage represents what he calls the average Japanese, the majority con- sisting of labor classes or women. Such situation, he thinks, by no means argues we'll for the future de- velopment of Japanese abroad. The latest estimate, gives the population of the country including its> depend encies at 77,00O,O00 The population is increasing by about S0O,O0O year. This large population is scattered over a comparatively narrow space of 2,36O, 100000 square miles, the density of population per one square mile being 357. With the exception of Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands and a few other countries, MT. Oka points out that no country meets Japan in the density of population. Such conditions make Japan, which still does not evolve from her status as a agricultural nation, to seek an outlet abroad for her ever-increasing population. For the furtherance of that purpose he thinks it is necessary to increase the shipping interests, to develop markets for Japanese goods in foreign lands and to encourage the development of domestic manufactur- ing industry.
 He declares that the rising gen. eration of the country must open their eyes to the situation and the pressing need of the time, and volun- teer, themselves for the commercial campaign in 't1fe foreign market He concludes: Let the commerce of the Japanese Empire follow the sun flags which are now sighted in almost every nook and corner of the Orient and the Southern seas and are grad ually moving elsewhere in the world''
 One part of the world where Japanese commerce has made it's most remarkable strides forward is the Western Hemisphere. The enor- nous prosperity of the United States has created a demand in that country for luxuries from Japan, and the ar- ticle which forms the bu1wark of the foreign export trade to this country, raw silk and habutae, has exceeded the 100, 0,00O,000 yen mark this year. To the other countries of the Western Hemisphere, too, Japanese exports have increased greatly, and the prog ress made by the Japanese merchants in the countries of South America S Pacic slope and also with Brazil and Argentine is regarded as remarkable.
 The importance which Japan gives to the development of her foreign trade is seen in decision just gazet- ted to appoint five new government of ficials to be designated as industrial and commercial attaches. They will be stationed at New York, London, Shanghai, South America and the South Sea Islands. Their mission will include travelling to neighboring ports and cities for the inspection of industrial and. commercial conditions with a view of furnishing Japanese commercial and industrial circles with first hand knowledge from for eign lands
 The commissioners will be appoint ed from among the ablest men in business circles and they will have no connection with diplomatic or pol itical affairs. They will, however, be attached to the foreign office which thus creates a bureau of commercial and Industrial commissioners.