SErTEMBER 1, 1911.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



475 



TRADE NOTES FROM JAPAN. 



{Special Corrcst>ondencc.) 



ANEW factory is under contruction for the Nippon Rubber 

 Company, Tokyo, to replace the structure destroyed in the 

 big fire of .\pv\\ last. 



The factory of the Kyushu Insulated Wire Works, recently 

 established with a capital equalling $500,000, is to be situated at 

 Moji. 



With a view to enlarging their factory for the manufacture of 

 paper insulated cable. The Yokohama Insulated Wire Works 

 recently acquired a piece of land about one acre in extent, on 

 which to install an extension. The place of their former chief 

 expert, Mr. Hata, who recently left the works, has been filled 

 by Mr. D. Coyle, who lately came out from England at the 

 request of this company. Developments of its operations arc 

 looked for in the future. 



Some new machinery from Europe is being installed by the 

 Fujikura Cable Works, who contemplate extending their produc- 

 tion. A branch is now engaged in manufacturing waterproof 

 cloth, which is meeting with some favor in the market. 



The Teikoku Belting Company, which has lately been floated 

 in Tokyo, with a capital equalling $250,000, has taken over the 

 former Ota-shiki Belting Company. 



JAPANESE VIEWS ON RUBBER CULTURE. 



THE "Gomu Shimpo," addressing Japanese rubber manufac- 

 turers, says : 



"The survey of the Southern Ocean and South America is 

 most important for rubber corporations contemplating the estab- 

 lishment of rubber plantations. It would certainly be very ad- 

 vantageous to study the nature of the soil, and the climatic 

 conditions of the Malay peninsula. But as in that country a 

 great deal of planting is being done, and there are numerous 

 rubber plantations, more capital will probably be required for 

 the establishment of new plantations than in Borneo. In an 

 uncivilized country there is certainly more exposure to danger, 

 but on the other hand, there are also great advantages. In 

 addition to many other valuable products, there are wild rubber 

 plants. The leasing of land for the establishment of rubber 

 plantations is easy and the rental is low. (In some sections 

 admittedly the rental of land is difficult.) But the means of 

 communication between Borneo and Japan are decidedly less 

 convenient than with the Malayan Islands. It is, therefore, of 

 primary importance that improved means of communication be 

 provided, if large plantations are to be established there, so that 

 direct importation into Japan will become possible. These un- 

 dertakings have been made an object by several capitalists who 

 propose to establish in common large plantations, as an asso- 

 ciated planting company, exactly in the manner proposed by 

 Mr. Schichijuro Yojo. It is to be hoped that many people will 

 seriously consider this enterprise. 



"On the Pacific insular groups there dwell about one milliard, 

 SO to 60 million natives and 50,000 Chinese, in addition, there are 

 at present 5,000 Japanese, the latter, mostly immigrants from 

 Kyushu. The trade is mainly in the hands of German or 

 Chinese merchants. There are among them only isolated 

 Japanese, such as Shibuja & Co., who have made more than 

 10,000 yen ($5,000). The Japanese are mostly engaged in trad- 

 ing in drugs and raw materials. As the Chinese are possessed 

 of great endurance and patience, and on the other hand, German 

 goods are very cheap, the Japanese find no opportunity to enter 

 into competition. After the war between Japan and Russia, 

 the Japanese rose in estimation, and the land princes showed 

 them some favor. But this was but of short duration. When 

 Japanese laborers have saved 50 to 100 yen ($25 to $50) they 



make their way to Singapore. Life there is expensive, espe- 

 cially for people not fully acquainted with the language of the 

 country, and the money is speedily exhausted. The Chinese, 

 like the natives, work for a daily wage of 50 to 60 sen (25 to 

 30 cents). For this low wage, however, the Japanese will not 

 work. Consequently, many Japanese wander off to the pearl 

 fisheries in the East Indies. They work there half the year at 

 sea and half the year on land. But the cost of living is so 

 high that hardly one in a hundred can save a larger sum. After 

 the sixth month, the sea is very stormy and the work dangerous, 

 so that many of the people come to grief. The most promising 

 prospect is, with a little capital to start a rubber plantation. 

 The large offers of rubber in the spring of last year was only 

 an exception. When rubber plantations have previously been 

 laid out, the capital invested had to remain six to seven years 

 without profit. And in proportion as the rubber trees become 

 more productive, the price of rubber, it is easy to see, will 

 decline. For this reason the Mitsui Co. gave up, last year, its 

 rubber plantations in the Pacific. 



- — V • • .' 



LixtXtt-i—vji 





A Future Japanese Planter. 



:^ & jr. 



^ SV) o 



I <^aie»j^g5^^*ii 



CAREER OF A JAPANESE RUBBER JOURNALIST. 



In view of the constantly gruwing rekitiuns of this country 

 with Japan, the progress of Japanese trade journalism is being 

 watched with interest. 



Among its prominent representatives is M. S. Vamada, of the 

 Japanese rubber journal, the "Gomu Shimpo." lie was born in 

 1882, and in 1904. after having passed through the middle schools 

 of Shinstu ;md Ikubunkan, entered Waseda University, where 

 he look up the English literature course and from which institu- 

 tion he graduated in 1908. 



After having been editor of several business magazines, he 

 became editor in January, 1910, of the "Gomu Shimpo," of which 

 journal he became editor-in-chief in January, 1911. In view of 

 his command of both English and Japanese, Mr. Yamada will be 

 in a position to promote the development of .'\merican commerce 

 with Japan, notably in connection with the rubber trade, to which 

 his special attention is being devoted. 



