JAPAN'S TRADE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2655, 29 December 1915, Page 8

JAPAN'S TRADE

HER GROWING MANUFACTURES WORK ON MUNITIONS. WILL SHE BUY OTJR WARES? The possibility of Japan entering tho world's markets after the war as a great manufacturer, and the still more interesting possibility of the Japanese becoming big purchasers of our wares, and specially wool and meat, were discussed by Mr. T. C. Dawson, a 1 "Wellington merchant,: who has just returned l'rom a business trip to Japan, in an interview with a Dominion reporter. Mr. Dawson is convinced that the present war is going to work out to the advantage of Japan in the development of iier trade, providing her manufacturers and merchants seine tile opportunities that are now knocking at their doors. With German and Austrian trade now a ncgligiblo factor, thanks totho British Navy, and with tho factories of the Allies devoting a considerable share of their time ajid plant to tiie manufacture of munitions, together with the great difficulties being caused by tho shortage of dyes, etc., used in manufacturing, merchants have to turn to other sources of supplies, so it happens that Japan, with her chcap labour and facilities,■ has an exceptional opportunity of attaining a prominent commercial position. When in Japan, Mr. Dawson found a number of buyers there ii'om 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.' Ho was greatly struck with tho 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. Considering tho great advance .Japan had made' • along so many lines during the past fifty years, it { was surprising that she lagged behind in that regard. Mr. Dawson did his best to impress ou the absoluto 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. Ho 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 firm's interests, inspect goods to be shipped, and attend to the prompt dispatch of goods. Better Shipping Facilities. Better shipping facilities wore needed. The amount of .freight for all lines running to Australia has .outgrown tho supply 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 service with New Zealand. He also learned that the Nippon Yusen Kaisha and other companies were conferring as to tho best means of overcoming tho difficulty. His belief was that the time was not far distant when we would have a regular line of Japaneso cugo carriers coming to New Zealand via Australia. Crowing Demand For Wool. The growing demand for wool in the East points to a gcod prospective .market closer than any other New Zealand had dealings with. In Kobe alono 'ast season Australian wool was imported to the value of 3,622,340 yen (one yen is worth 2s. Id.) out of 4,672,960 yen expended in that commodity. One woollen factory alone employed 4000 hands, and the goods turned but 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-Eat ere. "The Japanese are becoming meateaters," said Mr. Dawson, "and the time is not far distant when Japan will be a big buyer of frozen meat. I noticed a Japanese with his four 6ons all tating beef steak and onions in a Tokio restaurant. This, it seemed to me, was as a straw in the wind. Japan could never he a great meat-producing country, and not from Kobo to Yokohama, a distance of 350 miles, did I fiee a single sheep. As a matter, of fact, the greater part of tho country is very -mountainous, and only 12 per cent, of the laud can bo cultivated. If the war was not on I would strongly advise our Government to folloiv New .South Wales's example, and appoint a real live business man in Japan to look after our 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 Yladivostock. That is now tho busiest port in the East, and scores of trains are being sent weekly across Siberia with war supplies from Japan. The Germans and their agentfi in Northern China have on several occasions hatched plots for blowing- up of sections of the railway, but Russian and Japanese troops arc on guard' everywhere, and all attempts have so far proved nbortivc. Judging by what I have seen personally, and heard, these is no doubt that wo, have not yet realised the part Japan is playing'in the war, and what an immense assistance she has been to the Allies.. • Immense Orders. 'KTho cotton factories of Osaka- alone havo undertaken to iill lingo orders for cotton knitted underclothing for the Allies, chiefly England and France. In addition to the orders for millions of yards of kliald clotlr received from Russia some six months ago, another order for 3J million yards of army cloth was recontly received. Tho .Tapaneso papers reported whilst I was there that some of the Russian war orders were expected to cover a period of five years, which may bo taken as some indication of Russia's determination to continue the struggle to a finish. To assist in paying her bills contracted in Japan, Russia is proposing the flotation of a 50-million yen loan in Japan, the banks of Japan undertaking to Hoat the loan by an issue of Russian Treasury bills. The output of boots in Japan for the Russian troops is enormous. Over ■, n million pairs were shipped away to Russia on October 1."