Evening star., 1932-02-21

1ereSJlng fdCJS re
Japan's Trade and Interesting Facts
Re China's Trade) reveals the follow
ing facts:
japan Fourth of u. S. Markets.
American investments in Japan, to-
taling approximately $5oo,0O0,000, are
twice the American investments in
China, totaling $25O,OOO,OO0. Japan
ranks fourth among the world markets
for United States exports, while China
ranks sixth In 1880 the United States
furnished Japan approximately 29 per
cent of her total imports while Ger
many, Australia and Great Britain
were furnishing about 6 per cent. Our
sales to Japan that year, amounting to
over s20O,OoO,o00 Japanese figures),
were more than twice our sales to
China, where our proportion OF the
total imports was less than 18 per cent.
In the same year We bought from
Japan S250,000,000 Japanese figures,
or over "a per cent of her total exports,
while Great Britain accounted for only
per cent of them. In the same year
we bought approximately $6O,OOO,OOO
from China which was less than Is per
cent of her total sales. Our total trade
with Japan in 1880 was almost $780,
100000, whereas cur total trade with
NiIIld WdS tuOOO,OOV.
While the figures fer the year just
ended are not yet completely compiled,
it is estimated that We sold Japan
over sl50,00o,oO0 of goods and bought
$200,OO0, ,O00 We sold China about
$115,000,000 worth of goods.
Large Raw Silk Imports.
Japan supplies us approximately IS
per cent of our total raw silk imports.
In 1880 Japan bought from us S66.-
100000 worth of raw cotton, which is
namely $22000000. In 1881 Japan
to S8O,OO0,OOO covering 1,740,000 bales
Our exports of crude oil to Japan in
creased greatly in 1881 amounting to
100000 barrels. A similar increase
was noted for gasoline covering l.
255,000 barrels in 1881. A very impor-
tant increase in the sales of raw cot
ton was noted in the last three months
of 1881, December alone accounting for
315,000 bales. One of the bulletins
shows that Japan ranks second as
source of imports into the United
States, exceeded only by Canada
The above figures give rather clear
idea of the comparative business rela-
tions between the United States and
Japan and China. Apparently the
present role of Japan is of far greater
importance than that of China in re-
lation to the value Of the investments
and foreign trade Of the United States.
U. S. Has Larger Stake in Japan.
AS to the comparative stake of the
United States in China, the bulletin on
Chinas trade furnishes some very il
Eliminating data These facts become
of particular importance when it is
urged that the United States, because
of the size of its stake in China, should
take the laeding role in opposing the
japanese operations.
OF total of s3,5OO, 900, 900 of foreign
investments in China apparently Ameri-
can investments are valued at $3.50
OO0,0 and account for only per cent.
Whereas Japan's investments, totaling
S1,150,000000, account for over four
times as much, or approximately 33 per
cent. British investments are even
greater. totaling s1,270,0 100000, or al
most 81 per cent.
OF China's imports in 1880, Japan ac-
counted for 25 per cent. Great Britain
and India, 18 per cent; Hongkong, 16
per cent, while the United States was
II per cent.
counted for 80 per cent, Hongkong, IT
per cent Great Britain, per cent, and
the United States IA per cent.
Summing these items up it can read
lily be seen that we occupy a much
more important place in the export and
import trade and foreign investments Of
Japan than we do in the case of China,
both relatively and in total dollars. 1t
can also be seen that our investments
in China and our export and import
trade with China are considerably less
important than in the case of some
other nations As far as purely busi-
ness reasons 60, it would seem that
the figures do not support the argu-
ment that the United States should
take the leading role in opposing Japan
because of the importance of our i'm
mediate commercial stake
The two Commerce Department bull
letins bring out several other inter-
esting facts. For example, Of approxi-
mately 1000 Americans who are in
China, one-half Of them, or $500, are in
Shanghai. Shanghai handles 40 per
cent of China's total foreign trade and
more than one-third of the total for
eign investments in China are CEN
tered at Shanghai These facts may
serve to explain partially why Japan
at present is concentrating its opera
tions on Shanghai and why the Shang-
hal operations have greatly stimulated
international anxiety.