JAPAN'S TRADE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 310, 30 December 1915, Page 2

JAPAN'S TRADE.

XER GROWING MANUFACTURES "WORK OX MUNITIONS. _j_j WILL SHE BUY OUR WARES? j"lic possibility of Japan entering the world's markets after the war as a grc-i manufacturer, and the still more interesting possibility of tlie Japanese becoming big purchasers of our wares, aud specsiily wool and meat, were discussed by .Mr. T. C. Dawson, a Wellington mercnant, wiio has just returned from a business trip to Japan. Mr. Dawson is convinced that the present war is going to work out to the advantage of Japan in the development of her trade, providing her manufacturers and merchants seize the opportunities tl.it are now knocking at their doors. With German anad Austrian trade now a negligible factor, thanks to the British Navy, and with the factories of the Allies devoting a considerable share of their time and plant to the manufacture of munitions, tup her with the great difficulties being caused by the shortage of dyes, etc., used in manufacturing, merchants have to turn to other sources of rupplies, so it happens that Japan, with her cheap labour and facilities, has an exceptional opportunity of attaining a prominent commercial position. When in Japan, Air. Dawson found a number of buyers there from England, America, and-Australia, and such were the'orders that had been placed that some of the factories'could not take any more business for twelve months. The goods that Mr. Dawson inquired for were chiefly those that England had never supplied. He was greatly struck with the immensity of the factories and the machinery, employed at Osaka—the Manchester of the East —but more up-to-date business methods were required, particularly in the showing of samples. Considerinw the great advance Japan had made along so many lines during the past tifty years, it was surprising that she lagged behind in that regard. Mr. Dawson did his best to impress on manufacturers the absolute necessity of seeing that shipments are up to sample, and told them that New Zealand merchants would only trade with those firms that could be relied upon to observe the highest business principles. He went still further in telling them that in the Dominion there was a feeling that the Japanese were not to be trusted. Mr. Dawson considered it advisable to appoint a reliable English firm in Japan to look after his Arm's interests, inspect goods to be shipped, and attend to the prompt dispatch of goods. BETTER SHTPPLNG FACILITIES. Better shipping facilities were needed. The amount of freight for ail lines running to Australia has outgrown the supply 0 of tonnage, and even with many extra steamers on the run, goods were "being subjected'to annoying delays. When in Yokohama he read that the Chamber of Commerce was taking the matter up, and talked of direct service with New Zealand. He also learned that tbe Nippon Yu'sen Kaisha and other companies were conferring as to the best means of overcoming the difficulty. His belief was tr.at the time was not far distant when we would have a regular line of Japanese cargo carriers coming to New Zeilaud via Australia. GROWING DEMAND FOR WOOL. The growing demand for wool in the East points to a good prospective market closer than any other New Zealand had dealings with." In Kobe alone last season Australian wool was imported to the value of 3,622,340 yen (one yen is worth 2/1) out of 4,672,9*50 yen expended on that commodity. One woollen factory alone employed 4,000 hands, and the goods turned" out compared very favourably with similar lines produced* by our own woollen mills. He met in Japan an Australian who was placing big orders for soldiers' clothing there, and also met Mr. Sutton, resident commercial agent for New South Wales. JAPS- BECOMING MEAT-EATERS. "The Japanese are becoming meateaters," said Mr. Dawson, "and the time is not far distant when Japan will be a ibig buyer of frozen meat. I noticed a Japanese with his iour sons all eating beef steak and onions in a Tokio restaurant. This, it seemed to mc, was as straw in the wind. Japan could never lie a great meat-producing country, aud not from Kobe to Yokohama, a distance of 350 miles, did I see a single sheep. As a matter of fact, the greater part of th-v country is very mountainous, and only 12 per cent of the land' can be cultivated. If the war was not on I would strongly advise our Government to follow New Kouth Wales' example, and appoint a real Jive business man in Japan to look after >ur trade interests there. JAPANESE AND MUNITIONS. "There is no doubt that the Japanese are working very hard in turning out munitions of war for Russia. Their factories are turning out huge quantities of war material. At Osaka I saw acres and acres stacked with munitions awaiting shipment to Madivostock. That is now the busiest port in the East, and scores of trains are ibeing sent weekly across Siberia with war supplies from Japan. The Germans and their agents in Northern China have on several occasions hatched plots for blowing up of sections of the railway, but Russian and Japanese troops are on guard everywhere, and all ■attempts have so far proved abortive. Judging by what I have seen personally, and heard, there is no doubt that we have not yet realised tlie part Japan is playing in the war, and what an immense assistance ane lias been to the Allies. IMMENSE ORDERS. ' "The cotton factories of Osaka alone have"undertaken to fill huge orders for cotton knitted underclothing for the Allies, chiefly England and France. In addition to the orders for millions of yards of khaki cloth received from Russia some six months ago, another order for 3j million yards of army cloth was J recently received. The Japanese papers I reported whilst I was there that some , of the Russian war orders were expected to cover a period of five ycare, Which j may be taken as some indication of Russia's determination to continue the struggle to a finish. To assist in paying her hills contracted in Japan, Russia is proposing the flotation of a 50-million yen loan in Japan, the banks of Japan undertaking to float the loan by an issue of Russian Treasury bills. The output of boots in Japan for the Russian troops is enormous. Over a million pairs were I shipped away to Russia on October Ist." |