io6 



JAPAN - MISCELI,ANEOUS 



and the colonised parts of the island of Yezo, pointed out in our article 

 already mentioned, is still laintained. The diminution would therefore 

 be 0.7 % in Japan proper and 0.4 % in Hokkaido. 



There was much opposition to the bill in Parliament ; the arguments 

 against it being chiefly the following : 



ist. — The fiscal charge on landed property is one of the least burden- 

 some in Japan and one of the most profitable to the pubUc treasury : 



2nd. — The reform of land taxation, as proposed by the bill, would 

 cause a decrease of revenue of about 8,500,000 yen (about 22,000,000 

 francs) and such a reduction should not be agreed to considering the present 

 state of the finances and the urgent needs of the political and economic situ- 

 ation of the country. In support of these views, the following statistic^ 

 were brought forward, showing the amounts obtained by the tax before the 

 proposed reform ; 



Ground Built on: 2.5% a^ valorem 



GrainFields and Rice Fields: 4.7% » 



Other Land 5-5% « 



GrainFields and Rice Fields: 3 .4 % » 



Other Land: 4-0% » 



) for Japan proper, exclud- 

 i ing Hokkaido 



for Hokkaido. 



The amount raised by this tax was calculated, in the Kstimates 

 for 19 12 and 19 13, as follows: 



.p. i Japan proper, Okinawa and the Seven 



Fidds J Islands of Izu yen 46,778,404 



f Hokkaido » 14,014 



Total . . . ^--en 46,792,418 



Fields i Japan proper,Okinawa and the Seven Islands 



not of Izu » 10,312,582 



Irrigated' Hokkaido » 56,502 



Total . . . yen 10,369,084 



_ .. / Japan proper and Okinawa » 15,902,272 



( Hokkaido . . ;) 303,146 



upon ) o ^> -r 



Total . . . 3'-en 16,205,418 



^,, L Japan proper, Okinawa and the Seven 



J , Islands of Izu » 1,711,220 



^^ ( Hokkaido ). 42,836 



Total . . . yen 1,754,056 



General Total . . . yen 75,120,976 



