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JAPAN - MISCELLANEOUS 



We shall also give the following figures showing the fluctuations in 

 prices in the months of June, July, August, and September, 1913, on 

 the Yokohama Exchange (in yen per koku). 



Average 



Average 



for the 

 Corresponding 

 Month in 1912 



June . . 

 July . . . 

 August . . 

 September 



22.97 

 23 10 



?2 39 

 22.75 



2405 

 24.01 



2337 

 22.36 



These figures show an evident tendency to decrease when compared 

 with those for the second half year of 1912, for those were the highest 

 prices ever reached in Japan. In any case, in spite of this slight decrease, the 

 average price of rice in 1913 was about 22 yen 80 per koku, which gives, in 

 respect to the average for 1900, an index number of 191. We may, therefore, 

 say that, in only thirteen years, the price of the mo.st important commodity 

 on the Japanese market, of the first necessity for the population, has in- 

 creased by more than 90 % or on an average by 7 % a year. 



§ 2. Fluctuations in price op other commodities. 



We desired to make a specially detailed study of the fluctuations in price 

 of rice, because it is a commodity far exceeding in importance aU others both 

 for the Japanese market and Japanese consumption. To complete our study 

 it is, however, necessary also to consider the fluctuations in price of the other 

 principal commodities. Generally, also, they correspond with those observed 

 in the case of rice. Indicating by 100 the average prices for 1900, as 

 we have already done in the case of rice, we obtain for the following years 

 and the various commodities considered, the following index numbers: 



