The Wanganui Herald. (Published Daily.) SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1920. JAPAN’S INCREASING POPULATION,

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160812, 20 November 1920, Page 4

The Wanganui Herald. (Published Daily.) SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1920. JAPAN’S INCREASING POPULATION,

Figures highly significant 'as illustrating Japan’s imperative necessity to choose between territorial expansion and loss of her 'citizens by wholesale emigration, are** contained In a recent cable giving a summary of Japan’s vital statistics for\ 1919, The year was an unfavourable one for population increase. The influenza epidemic accounted for a higher death rate than usual, while the cost of living problenji is to have had its effect in fewer marriages and a decreased birth rate. Yet spite of these factors, the excess of births over deaths for the year was po less than 310,000. The result of this—especially when it is remembered that every year means a similar addition to the population —on a small and already overcrowded country Is obvious. The land is already taxed to its utmost to provide sustenance for the existing population. And when 300,000

inore mouths per year have to he filled, it Is easy to see the additional perplexity of Japan’s economic problem. Trading and manufacturing development will enable the country to import more foodstuffs, but the time must come sooner or later when such development, however large, -will fail to meet the demands of the increasing population. Hence Japan must either have more territory, or must see her people go to other lands and be, perhaps, absorbed in their populations. To a people with so, strong a race instinct as the Japanese, the latter alternative is distasteful in the last degree. Moreover, they are worshippers of material success, and have a strong belief in their own warlike powers. Naturally, therefore, the idea of territorial expansion makes a stronger appeal to them. True, Japanese have emigrated in large numbers, but wherever they have gone, instead of becoming assimilated with the people of their adopted countries, they have kept apart and formed communities of their own. There is strong ground for the belief that this policy, if not originally so intended, has b,een subsequently shaped with the view of using the force of these communities for the purpose of peaceful penetration or armed seizure as circumstances may dictate. And Japan’s vital statistics give the matter o great significance.