Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-14
JAPANESE STUDY
LUXURY TARIFF
Abolition of Levy to Be Taken
Up at Sessions of Duty
Commission.
enecIaI nispa,ch to the star.

Special Dispatch to the Star.
TOXIC, October 14.--Abolition of
the so-called japanese luxury tariff,
which assesses a 100 per cent ad
valorem tariff on such imported articles
as are clasSed as luxurieS, is scheduled
to be one of the important subjects OF
discussion at the coming sessions OF the
Tariff Reform Investigation Commits
sion.
Offcials of the foreign ONCE. finance
ministry, ministry Of commerce and IN
dustry and ministry of agriculture AND
forestry have been holding repeated
conferences TO fx the agenda for the
coming meetings OF the Tarin REFORM
Investigating Commission A meeting
OF the secretaries Of the commission was
held at the premier's ofacial residence
to settle the different views Of the re-
spective ministries concerned.
General Revision Planned.
No thorough reforms are being con-
templated. it it disclosed. The changes,
comprising both advances and reduc-
lions, will be made on some articles in
accordance with the governments prin-
ciple of free commerce in the case OF
reductions and as a measure to protect
some particular industries which viii
suffer greatly from the expected recov-
cry of the yen in the case OF increases.
The commission will not fix exact
rates for the tariff to be revised, 1t is
stated, but will adopt general policies
and recommendations, leaving the task
of fixing exact rates to the government.
concrete plan, comprising the COM
missions recommendations, will be
drafted by the middle OF November so
that the government may present the
proposed tariff reform to the Diet at its
next session, which opens in December.
Linked With Recovery Of Yen.
The proposed tariff reform has been
prompted by two reasons, 1t is ex-
planned. The first is the principle OF
free commerce, which the MinSeito gov
eminent upholds, for which some du"
ties will be abolished and others low
cred, while the second Is that the
expected restoration Of the value OF the
yen will hit some particular industries
and to protect such industries some
duties must be raised.
A group of producers, especially those
dealing in iron and caustic soda, have
submitted repeated appeals to the on
Gals of the finance ministry, the min
istry of commerce and industry and
the ministry Of Agriculture and forestry,
requesting that duties on such products
be raised.
The attitude Of the finance minister,
4AOhyCp3 bOWAA0 0AACSC PChA-
tons is not favorable, judged by his
utterances. In a recent interview he
said that he had no intention Of raising
the tariff all around as a measure to
protect home industries. Before he de-
cideS to protect some few industries, he
will fully investigate as to how the
recovery Of the value of the yen, after
the lifting of the gold embargo, will
AFFECT some of the important home in
dustries, he added.
May Lift Gold Embargo.
"As preparations for The lifting Of
the gold ban 60 ahead" said Mr.. In
ouye, the yen-dollar exchange will inn
prove gradually. How Japans indus
tries will be affected and what steps
have to be taken constitute a problem
which the government must study be-
fore it actually lifts the gold embargo.
That is why we have submitted our in
quiry to the tariff reform investigation |
commission on this problem. Il
1T is not intended to protect many |
industries which will be affected by the |
recovery of the value Of the yen. Be-
cause the yen-dollar exchange situation
improves, there is little necessity to pro-
tect all industries. The low value of
the yen, which has prevailed for the
last few years, has been q great bless
ing to japanese traders and producers.
They have been enjoying unexpected