New-York tribune., 1919-07-30
w WASHINGTON, July 28-These points
w stand out with regard to Japanese
penetration of the Philippines:

|
penetration of the Philippines:
1. It has proceeded rapidly and almost en-
tirely since 1915.
9. It has been managed with considerable
forethought in that, owing to the shortage
Of labor In the Philippines, Japanese labor
Is always taken along to develop individual
projects.
8. 1t has been characterized by concentra-
| ton almost entirely in the rice districts of
Mlndanao.
i. Japanese ideals, customs and language
are carefully preserved among the immi-
grants.
s. It has proceeded despite attempts of
the Filipinos themselves to secure law pro-
hibting Japanese from owning land, since
| the Japanese do not extend a reciprocal right
to Filipinos in Japan.
6. 1t has proceeded despite the repeated
declaration Of Japanese propagandsts in the
United States that the islands are unsuitable
climatcally to Japanese, the example of For
mosa usually being cited. The Japanese gov
ernment spent more than 100000 in 1916
alone to help 1,76G emgrants to Formosa.
Japanese Corporations
Information regarding the source of Jap
anese capital entering the island is difficult
to obtain, but the bulk of evidence is that
corporations and not individuals are project
ing most Of the penetration. "The Philip
pines," magazine published in Manila, said
in December, 1918:
"It is to be noted that in the occupation
of this agricultural land of Davao the
Japanese, in recent years, have led all
other nationalities. Practically all of the
open land In this region belongs to the
government and is acquired by private
owners by purchase from the government
or by lease for twenty five years. During
the first six months of the current year
sixteen corporations made applications to
the Bureau of Lands for the purchase of
land in Davao. OF these sixteen corpora
tions, fourteen were financed by Jap
anese, the other two by Americans. Dur
ing the same period twenty-four corpora
tions made applications to lease lands in
Davao, nearly all of which were composed
of Japanese.
"Of the total number Of leases of gov
ernment land throughout the Philippine
Islands executed during the first six
months of 1918, the majority were made
by Japanese for lands in Davao. During
this period about $4,000 acres of land in
Davao were leased and about $1,000 acres
purchased"
The Hemp Industry
The fact that the japanese are getting
good foothold in the hemp industry is also
indicated by the following extract from
"The Japanese have been foremost in
developing new uses for hemp fibre in
textile manufacture, and Japan is the
leading market for the finer Philippine
grades AS the best of these pro-
duced in Mndanao japanese enterprise
has interested itself especially in that re-
gion."
The same magazine shows how Japanese
millionaire who recently died built up his
fortune in Mindanao in sixteen years, gain
ing complete control of the pearl industry
and investing also in hemp and coco&nuts:
"On October 81, 1917, there died in the
hospital of the imperial university at
Kioto a Japanese millionaire whose fort
une was made out of the resources Of the
Philippine Islands. kyosaburo Ohta came
to the Philippines sixteen years ago. He
started in Manila as labor contractor In
a humble capacity. In the course of his
business he early found it necessary to
make long trips to various parts of the
islands This gave him an opportunity to
appraise the country's resources. He at
once saw the opportunities and the vast
resources offered in the Davao country,
and transferred his office to the old town
of Davao. There he engaged In trading
in addition to his business as a labor
contractor. He later organized the Ohta
Development Company, with Offices in
Davao. Zamboanga, Manila and Kobe, and