New-York tribune., 1921-03-21
japanese Ships
YearlyEarlningg 9
$1OO,00O,OO
Ihree-quarters of Billion
Aggregate of Revenues
Since Beginning of War;
Depression Cuts Income
slipping Costs Reduced
rauntry Now in Position to
Build and Operate Its
Vessels at Lowest Rates


fhe steady growth of Japan as a
,smpstitor in world shipping is evil
s.assd by the fact that during 1920
(. earnings Of the Japanese shipping
sdus.ry from foreign sources are esti-
.steS in Japan to have reached 200,-
10000 yen, or about 100000. This
y,urssents in the main freight charges.
,sarter money and vessels sold.
During the last six years, including
|ftse gar period, the total shipping earn
;.ss are stated to have aggregated
1000 900 yen. or about S750,000 900.
The shipping depression of the last
YEAR is reflected in the 1920 earnings
b comparison with those for 1919. the
htssr being 90,o00,0o0 yen greater. The
growth Of the depression is also illus
rated by the fact that the earnings for
The irst six months of the year were
almost double those for the second half.
Japan Prepares for Future
During the period of depression.
however, Japan has been busily en-
ragged in preparing to meet future com
stition by means OF sharp cut in the
costs Of ship construction and opera
ton. The problem of reducing labor
costs aboard ship, which must still be
solved by other maritime countries. in
tluang the United States and Great
Britain, has been met and practically
disposed of by Japan.
So drastic have been the reductions
ID wages that sailors on many of the
JapaIese vessels are working for about
se cents per day, or less than $40 a
roEth, and Chinese and Corean sea-
men can be had for materially lower
agures.
Although resistance to the reductions
hss been made by Japanese labor or
nnizations, this has been ineffective.
due to the great number of unemployed
sailors available to draw from. Sue
tsssiye cuts have resulted in abolish
Ing or reducing the special allowances,
.ltsa payments and bonuses that were
4sei to eXpadite the securing of re-
truits for work at sea during the war
period,
The Hashimoto Kisen Kaisha Line
took the first step toward the reduc-
ton by announcing that all extra paw
Eents were to be abolished on one of
It's vessels. Refusal by the crew to ac-
sspt was followed by their being or
dsfed of the ship and subsequent re-
quests for conferences were without
avail. The strikers were quickly re-
placed from the large number of idle
ssanen eager for work.
Sea Wages Sharply Cut
Other Japanese shipping concerns
!aen adopted the same methods, and at
Tie beginning of this year practically
oil the seamen still employed had lost
'neE extra allowances and cuts were
beng made in the basic wage scale.
Protests were made to the Japanese
gsvernment by labor organizations
Against the employment of foreigners
% japanese vessels, after strikes had
esen broken by the use of Chinese and
Corsan sailors working at from 25 to
" per cent less than the basic wape of
ne Japanese. AT present, about 5000
q lhese are reported to be EMPLOYED
sl wages ranging from 1S to 26 cents
day for sailors, stokers, cooks and
clerks.
recent announcements that Japanese
.apouilders are prepared to take or
ss!S lor vessels at a rate of $50 dead
weight ton indicate that Japanese con-
ssEuction costs have been reduced to
! point well below that of any other
'alpouliding country. The Japanese
so'ernment is also reported to be con-
.sasrlng furnishing protection to the
mMlpnuilding ~ industry through the
.lmlnatlon Of the import duty on steel,
inber, machinery and other ship con-
'auction accessories that are difficult
. produce in Japan.
New Vessels Ordered
Inc larger japanese shipping com
s'aes were recently stated to have
aareled their building programmes. but
now announced that the Nippon
asen kaisha Line has placed an order
" tne construction of three 10000
20 SHIPS On the reduced scale of
il'ces reported, the capital cost of
asse vessels should be materially un-
" shat of any new tonnage of SINH
y type procurable by other maritime
sapans ability to build and operate
ups at extremely low rates is of es-
Hc'al interest to American shipping
ssicn Is certain to feel the effects OF
as competition in the Pacific trade
sesn the Shipping Board anC privately
.saea American lines are planning to
Mena their trans-Pacific trade and q
@ssp struggle is looked for.
now well the larger Japanese lines
w prepared to weather protracted
ss'od Of shipping depression is shown
.ne action of the Osaka Shosen
AAsna Company in recommending the
Sment Of dividend of Is per cent
~ sne last half of 1920. Even though
y maritime situation should fail to
@prove for several years, 1t was
Isea, the company has accumulated
sas'ent resources to maintain a divi-