JAPAN'S COTTON INDUSTRY

Waikato Times, Volume 87, Issue 13274, 1 September 1916, Page 7

JAPAN'S COTTON INDUSTRY

STILL IN INITIAL STAGE. MUCH DEVELOPMENT POSSIBLE. In describing Japan's position as an exporter of cotton goods, the managing director of the Kanegafuchi Cotton Spinning Company, as recently quoted by the Japan Times, placed the spindles engaged on such business as only 2 per cent, of the total number. Even Russia, which was usually regarded as a junior in the trade, ran 9,000,000 spindles, about three times the aggregate owned by Japan. British India owns twice Japan's number of spindles. Discussing the matter further, he said:— "An examination of the over-sea trade reveals similar conditions. The imports of raw cotton represent onethird of the country's whole import trade, and the exports of cotton yarn and the manufacturers thereof amount to one-sixth of Japan's entire export trade. Therefore, it may safely be said that the line is one of the most important in the country. But in China, which is one of the best buyers of Japanese cotton goods, Japan holds only a small part of the vast trade. Of the whole trade, worth 250,000,000 yen, the British hold 100,000,000 yen worth, while the Japanese cotton men secure only 80,000,000 yen worth. In the Indian market, where 400,000,000 yen worth is consumed every year, Japan's share of trade is only 3 per cent, of the whole, the best being monopolised by English cotton men. When all these facts are well considered, it is clear that Japan's cotton industry is still in its initial stage, and much more development is possible." The executive of the Japanese cotton concern urges a greater application to the China and India markets, and states that much depends upon whether Great Britain adopts a protective tariff after the war.