JAPAN AND HIGH COSTS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 31 October 1922, Page 8

JAPAN AND HIGH COSTS.

Regulatings commodity ;?■ ■ y .PRICEST" . :

Japan is making a gradual effort to reduce the high cose of iiving, and although a of high taritf sugges•ytions haYe-heen" put forward, the Government of P^ has taken a' first stand against this policy, particularly in the matter of necessities, according to Tadao JWikawaj Acting Japanese Financial Commissioner to . /the United .States. Under the head of necessities come food, cotton, and iron in the order of ■their economic importance. Luxuries include everything regarded as unnecessary to a livelihood. Higher tariffs, it is expected, will be imposed on some of the luxuries. At a recent general meeting of Chambers of Com:merce throughout Japan a resolution was adopted for a campaign to incul- : «ate habits of thrift among the Japanese, states the New York Times. Representatives will meet bi-monthly to promote this programme. Imports are gradually declining. The first six month's of the year is the period when imports usually exceed exports, and the last six months the period in which, exports increase over imports. A plan for raising additional •Government revenues by enacting a property tax, which was considered by ■a, Government Committee,, has been inferentiafty denied in the Premier's *. that no further taxes shall »e levied in any form. • ■ v The programme of tax reduction, will " depend largely on how much can be saved by Government economies resultIng fromvche policy of disarmament and administrative reorganisation. The expenses at present of running the Government of Japan; is almost as heavy as during the war. As the first step in regulating commodity prices Premier ■ % Kato's Government is expected to at"tempt a reduction of railroad and ocean freight rates. The Japanese Government in following out the naval programme has dropped about 1500 working men from one of the navy yards. Other navy yards and military,; arsenals will follow this -example. A considerable number of •naval officers will be forced^ to retire. It has been stated unofficially that but few young officers, ranking as captain or lower, will be included. On the other hand, many civil officers will be •discharged on account of the reduction in Government expenses. To avoid a serious unemployment situation it is believed that the Government will pay ■& special bonus to all discharged army, navy, and civilian employees. The Japanese newspapers are commenting <on the fact that these older officers are awaiting with more or less impatience the retirement order, as they receive" two or three years' pay, which would supply them with sufficient capital to start in > business.