NORTHERN NEIGHBOURS.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13933, 16 July 1917, Page 1

NORTHERN NEIGHBOURS.

PEEPS INTO PAR EAST.'

OLD AND NEW JAPAN.

Miss Crichton Irmie, who has just arrived in Sydney after a six months' tour' of Japan on journalistic business for the Associated Press of Now Zealand, has such an inexhaustible fo\int of fascinating information about her. travels that it is difficult to select the most entertaining of her experiences, She tells you: "The first thing that impressed me in Japan was the. extraordinary mixture of the 'East and

West," The rickshaw man has to hurriedly draw his passenger to- one side to make way for the big motor car, handsomely upholstered and A decorated with vases of orchids. The coolie sweats up the hilL with a cart that would bo a load,for horse, singing the while. On the Sumida 'launches and motor boats, mingle with the old junks propelled by hand, Electric light signs flash in the main streets of Tokio, but down the dark, lanes and alleys, pedestrians still swing the old picturesque lanterns. : Largo modern shops stand side by side | with little open shops, where the employees sit on matting around tho charcoal brazier. After dark purveyors of foods announce their wares with tho tinkle of bells. The people come out of their houses as if by magic, and gather around the lantern-lit waggon, and buy a wholesome, well-cooked meal for IM.

"Whe/i tired of hot meals, I often bought a Japanese ineal in the street, and enjoyed it thoroughly," adds Miss tmric.

Asked about the commercial aspect, Mis 3 Irmie replied: "Business connections with Japan are of increasing importance. Japan considers . itself the 'England of the East,' and is making enormous strides commercially, When the Emperor Meiji came to the throne nearly everything, was imported, and the only exports were ten pd silk,"

Miss Lime's opinion is that Australia should not be frightened away from Japan because it is turning out so much. She is sure that the business policy of Japan can be summed up in the words of one of its big commercial potentates —"On our side we ought not to aim at independence from the industries of other places, which would lend to our isolation, Tho relations between the industries in this country and those in other lands should be made much closer. Nor should our object be the exclusion of foreign arts and inventions; this would certainly lead us to sterility, Importations and asportations must be mutual, and must be encouraged to an ever-increasing extent."

Miss Crichton links that Japan's new attitude towards business shows Japan's vigour. Before the Meiji era, trade of any kind was considered degrading, The merchant ranked next to the outcast. To-day business mou are honored, knighted by the Government, and take a prominent part in the nation's affairs. Speaking of the women, Miss Imrie says it is a great mistake to suppose that under the old regime women were dowu-troden. Indeed they were rcfpected apd honored ns the foundation 0/ society; The man was the head of the family, and tradition demanded that he alone should he shown outward marks of respect. Tradition had it, that in performing services for his wife or others of his family publicly,, he was lowering his dignity and dishonoring his position, But this did not prevent him from having the deepest feelings of affection which he did not, hesitate to express privately, This is difficult for us with our ideas of outward courtesy, tb understand, but unless we do comprehend we cannot appreciate the real status of women in old Japan.

Tlie fiindiiiiieutal purpose of Japanese women is that of service. On this account of Into years women's 'education as well as men's lias been based on Western systems, modified to meet the present need of Japan. All over Japan girls are employed as teachers, physicians, telephone operators, ticket agents,! newspaper writers, sales girls, nurses, and now an increasing number are entering factories, But although the number of women in professions and business is increasing, by far the greater proportion of girls marry after leaving school. The unmarried woman is comparatively rare. Ilor life is n busy one, but she finds time for outside interests. She, fully appreciates hinv much more valuablo she is as a home-maker, if her mind is alive to the things going on around her. But she is not actively interested in politics. Women's suffrage lias not been introduced, nor is it likely to be for, many years. The Japanese thinking woman has limuy other livii interests, social work, the Ho(l Cross Society, the Y.W.0.A., the Y.C.T.U. (whose president was recently decorated by the Emperor), and tho Society for Belgian Belief,' The women also take an active part in the life of-the com-; munity, having clubs for civic betterment, domestic science, and hygiene. Miss Imrie's opinion is that this is as critical a time for the Japanese woman as it is for the whole country,' She thinks that as she flevelops and advances; sho should never fdrgot her influence in her home. If she can reniCmber thjit the spirit, of the old Japan tauglit loyalty and devotion as .flip greatest virtues ehe'will have just as much!power in the development of her country.