LIVING IN JAPAN

Evening Star, Issue 23122, 23 November 1938, Page 2

LIVING IN JAPAN

THE RISE IN PRICES WAR EFFECTS FELT The people of Japan are feeling the effects of the long-drawn-out war with China in rising commodity prices, despite frantic efforts of the Government to keep tho cost of daily necessities low, writes Kimpci Sheba, from Tokio, to the 1 Chicago Tribune.’ Prices on almost all products are climbing. Figures published by the statistics section of the municipal government show an average increase of almost 20 per cent, compared with last year. Foodstuffs, housing materials, lighting, and heating, and clothing have all gone up at least 20 per cent. Some products, such as benzine, gasoline, copper, and steel, cannot be bought without filling out a permit, and even then it is highly unlikely such requests will be approved. Of 141 key products under investigation the prices of 59 rose during tho 30 days before writing, 57 remained unchanged, and only 25 dropped. The only article which was lowered in price was muslin, and this was through compulsory Government regulation. On the Ginza, Tokio’s State street (a shopping centre), merchants are gradually raising prices despite the fact that the Government has thousands of inspectors checking figures to prevent profiteering. Anyone who has been in the city for any length of time cannot fail to notice the boost in quotations, in some cases as much as 50 per cent. Shoes which cost 20 yen (about 30s) a, few months ago have been marked up to 30 yen. The same is true with most leather goods, although the Government has recently released much leather which had been kpt in warehouses. THE PRICE OF SUITS. Strangely, the price of woollen suits made from imported cloth has not risen very much, although the Government has stopped all further importation of such cloth. Some tailors explain that this is because they fear Govqfnment reprisals. Others point out that people will not pay more for suits from imported cloth than they pay at present. A Japanese woollen suit costs about £5, one made from imported cloth £lO and up. This is a stiff price for most Japanese. The price of tobacco, which is a Government monopoly, has been upped on an average of 20 per cigarettes and as much as 40 per cent, for cigars. Foodstuff quotations also are rising steadily, although meat and eggs have not been affected as much as vegetables. The masses do not seem to be disturbed by the rising cost of living. Many of the workers, especially those in industries manufacturing products for the army, have been earning what to them are fabulous wages. A workman who formerly made barely 100 yen (£7 10s) a month is paid as high as £75 if he possesses fair technical skill. On the other hand, thousands who were employed in factories manufacturing products which the Government has restricted or banned entirely have lost their jobs. Even so, one rarely sees a beggar. . . The theatres, particularly the motion picture houses, are jam , packed., Comedies are the most popular numbers; on programmes. Thousands stand , in, line for hours every day to watch Enoken, the king of comedians. Week-end excursions are so popular that the Government has found it necessary to discourage them. EFFORTS ARE IGNORED. A lot of people take the Government’s efforts to impress the nation with the urgent need of economising with a grain of salt. Even Government officials, apparently aware that the country is not as hard up as some leaders would have the people believe, are cracking jokes _ at far-fetched schemes for self-sufficiency that have been hatched by over-zealous people. Recently, as ono means of economising on leather, shoe manufacturers were urged to try salmon skin. A few shoes were made, and a pair was presented to Foreign Alinister Ugaki. It was hoped that by having the general wear them “ in conformity to the national policy,” an example would be sot. _ General Ugaki liked the idea of manufacturing shoes from the skins of salmon caught in Japanese waters, but the plan to have him act as a mannequin did not appeal to him. I want to wear salmon-skin shoes,’ he slyly admitted, “ but just suppose what would happen if, on calling on a friend, his cat or a rat ate up one of my shoes. It would cause my host much embarrassment —to say nothing of what it would cause me.” .(In Japan people remove their shoes on entering homes.) So General Ugaki is still wearing imported leather shoes. Conditions among Japan’s farmers, who comprise 44 per cent, of the population, have improved tremendously in the last few months. In a good niany communities farmers are beginning to repay long outstanding debts to banks and landowners. The main reason for the improvement in the usually miserable plight of tho agricultural populace is the fact that .although most crops are normal prices are much higher. . . Rice, which has been from time immemorial an all-important crop, with more than half the entire arable land planted with it, has not been adversely affected by the recent floods, the Rico Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has announced. It estimates this year’s crop will not be below normal, despite pessimistic earlier forecasts. FARMERS AND FINANCE. Truck farmers who benefited by the Government Hypothec Bank’s liberal loan policy, which has enabled them since last year to use fertiliser more freely and to obtain extensions on payment of old loans, have recently started making repayments. According to the Hypothec Bank repayments of old loans for the first six months of this year totalled £5,500,000. There was also a contraction of £3 750,000 in new Joans in comparison with the first half of 1937, According to the Almistry of Agriculture and Forestry the war in China has not caused adverse changes in the economic condition of the rural districts, despite the tremendous drain on man-power caused hi’ the call to arms. The supply of farm labour, it is pointed out, has been sufficiently covered by mutual aid arrangements adopted by the farmers. The higher prices of agricultural products, particularly rice, have brought in unexpected profits. Although there has undoubtedly been betterment in the farmer’s plight, he still faces many vexing problems. Most of these problems may be traced to rapidly changing industrial conditions and to the inherent weakness in tlie agricultural structure. Farm debts have multiplied many times in tho last 25 years, and the

amount is estimated at roughly £75 per household, as compared with £lO in 1911. The total amounts to almost £500,000,000. The cause of this heavy indebtedness is simply the poverty of the farmers Each year the farming population increases by, several, hundred thousand, but the land remains the same size.