ANGLO-JAPANESE TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1072, 10 March 1911, Page 5

ANGLO-JAPANESE TRADE.

. NEW TARIFF ARRANGEMENT. By TclesraDti-Fress Assodation-CoDrricM London, March 8. "It is understood that negotiations between Britain and Japan for a new tariff arrangement have been satisfactorily concluded. •

The existing Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Commerce, which came into force twelve years ago, expires on July 17 nest. The commercial treaties with France, Germany, and other countries also como to an end at the same time, but the treaty with tho United States has been extended for a period of one year. In each case the provisions of the treatv are similar; but tho British, French, and German treaties contain an additional convention dealing with the Japanese tariff. When these treaties were negotiated Japan sought to obtain the abolition of cxtra-territoriality, and was ready to make concessions in other directions. This being so, the Conventional Tariff which was then agreed upon and which is still in force is entirely one-sided. Japan is desirous that the new treaties shall be of a more reciprocal character, and the negotiations now progressing with different countries have this idea of reciprocity in view. With regard to tho new tariff which has lately become law in Japan, it is pointed out that according to the Japanese Constitution this may be superseded by a special treaty with any foreign Power without the consent of Parliament, although the law itself remains unaltered. The new commercial treaties will in tho main follow the lines of thoso shortly to expire, bnt with this important addition—that in certain eases there will be added a new special tariff.