The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-15
u. S. Trade With
Japan Practically
Doubled Last Year


compilation by the Foreign Trade De-
partment of the National City Bank of
New York shows an increase OF l3S
per cent. in the exports to Japan In
the calendar year 1916, and an in
crease of 10 per cent. in the imports
from that country. The total value
of the trade Of the United States and
Japan in 1916 was $291,00O,OOO
against $154,OOO.OO0 in 1913, the for
mer high record year.
In fact, the trade kwith all Asia
shows very large gains in 1876, the
exports to all that continent Except
the $166,OOO,O0O sent to Asiatic Rus
sia for transfer thence to Russia in
Europe) was 100000 in 1916
4 against s411, 900, 900 in 1915 and $685.
OOO. 900 in 1914, and the imports from
Asia, $517, 100000 against $3O6,OOO'ooo
in 1915. The greatest growth, now
ever, in or Asiatic trade has been with
Japan to which the exports OF 1915
were $1O9,999,999 against $4o,oOo,-
600 in 1915, and $42,000,00O in 1914!
The imports from Japan in 1916 were
$182,000,00O against $10S.0OO,OOO In
1915, and $106,000,000 in 1914.
Manufacturing material forms by
far the largest part of the exchanges
between the two countries. Raw cot
ton formed in fact, nearly one-half OF
our exports to Japan while raw SILK
formed nearly two-thirds of our I'M
ports from that country. In Iact, the
United States took a very large pro-
portion of Japan's available SILK IN
1915. her official figures showing that
Of her total raw silk exports amount
ing to $120,0O0,000 in the IL months
ending with November 1916, no less
than 500, 100000 worth were sent to
the United States,
other important articles forming
the trade between the two countries
were about $2,000,000 worth of pig
copper sent from Japan to the United
States, 100000, worth of tea So
600. 900 worth of silk fabrics, and over
$4,000. 900 worth Of sega bean oil. On
our side exports to japan other than
cotton included over s1,o00,e00 worth
Of structural iron and steel, $2,50O,0O0
worth of tin plates, over 100000
worth of pipes and fittings nearly So
OO0. 900 worth Of sole leather $2,OOO,-
900 worth of illuminating oil, and
nearly s1,O00,O00 worth of parafne'
and considerable quantities of bar
iron and steel.
Partly manufactured material for
further use in manufacturing, such as
steel billets and bars are also an I'M
portant feature of our exports to ia
pan and Big copper is a very consld-
cradle factor in our imports from that
country. The total value of cotton
exported to Japan in the eleven
months of 1916 for which the De-
partment of Commerce figures are
now available, amounted to $42, 475,-
604. while our total exports to Japan
in the same eleven months were $Y4,-
342,014.
Raw silk imported from Japan in
the eleven months Of 1916 for which
figures are available amounted to
s101.019,643, while total imports
from Japan in that eleven-month pc
,riod were $164,S22,116.
This new demand Of Japan upon
the United States for, manufacturing
materials is result of the very great
increase in the manufacturing INDUS
try of that country since the war ana
especially in 1915. The whole Orient
has apparently found Japan its most
convenient source Of supply for manu-
featuring and her, exports to ASIA as
q, whole in the 1 months ending with
November amounted to $225,OOO.Oo
against $154,000,O00 in 1915 and $l2e'-
O0o, 900 in 1914. To Asiatic' Russia
her exports show very large gains,
amounting in the ] months or 1910
to $5g,000,0OO. against $36.OOO,00o In
the same months of 1915, and 1910
600 in the same months of 1914 TO
British India the exports OF the IL
months Of 1916 are $31, 100000 against
$4,000, 900 in the same months OF
last year, and $12,000,0O0 in the cor
responding months of the preceding
wear. and to our own Philippine IS
lands, they are over $5,000,0OO in the
i months of 1915 against about hall
that sum in the corresponding months
of 1914.
Japan's exports of cotton manufac-
lures show rapid increases, having
been $76,O00,O6O in the.11 months OF
1916 against $54,000,000 in the same
months of 1915 and $57 100000 in the
corresponding months of 1914. About
GO per cent Of the exports of cotton
manufactures go to China, to which
orr own exports of cotton cloths In
1916 fell to less than 100000 against
s8.O13,194 in 1913. About 20 per
cent of the raw cotton used by Japan
in her manufactures is drawn from
the United States, the remainder
chiefly from India.