JAPAN 



Table I. Agricultural Crops: 1=1000. 



Experimental Station has resulted in the reduction of labour, the cost of production, and 

 improvement in the quality of the tea. 



Silk. Sericulture, one of the most valuable industries of Japan has, under the scientific 

 and economic care of the Government, expanded considerably during the last few years. 

 There are two State Sericultural Training Institutes, and a number of Sericultural Schools 

 have, also been established in Yokohama and for improving the quality of raw silk a National 

 Graine Factory was erected in 1911-12. Graines are manufactured here and distributed 

 with the object of improving and unifying cocoons. A Central Cocoons Inquiry Commis- 

 sion is investigating the selection of graine.. The production of silk has been as follows 

 (1 = 1000): (1908) 29,051.5 Ibs.,_(l9p9) 31,225.0 Ibs., (1910) 33,302.0 Ibs. ; 



Stock Breeding. Great attention is given on the part of the Government to the improve- 

 ment of the breeding of horses and cattle, and stock-breeding farms are established where 

 matters connected with the improvement of rearing and distribution of cattle, sheep, dairy 

 products, and the cultivation of fodder are studied and experimented upon. There are 

 three Government Studs for breeding and one Stallion Remounting Depot for rearing and 

 training. The Government also undertakes to lend bulls and stallions to private applicants 

 for the improvement of breeds. Large pasturages have also been established under the 

 management of the Imperial Household, from which high class horses and cattle are produced. 

 In 1911 a Manufactory was established for the .provision of serum for securing immunity 

 from rinderpest. This serum is distributed free in localities where the disease has been 



Erevalent. In 1910 the figures for live stock were: Horses 1,564,643, Cattle 1,384,183, 

 heep 3,357, Swine 279,101. The number of slaughter houses in 1910 was 489. 



Forests. Japan, which possesses a fertile soil and humid climate, has Very large areas of 

 forest lands, and the total acreage of forests and plains in Japan proper amounts to 55,121,570 

 acres, forming about 74 per cent of the total area of the country. Practically one-half of 

 this is occupied by State Forests and Plains. Until recent years forestry was not treated in 

 a practical manner, but as manufacturing industries developed the demand for timber forced 

 home the necessity of conserving forest lands on a scientific basis. During the last few 

 years the Government have reorganised the forestry administration and encouraged afforesta- 

 tion by strictly enforcing the Forestry Act. The production of timber in the year 1910 is 

 valued at 13,110,724, while the land was afforested to the extent of 271,772 acres at a cost 

 of 332,403. Incidental to this, also, the improvement of irrigation has been studied and 

 a programme covering all the branches of forestry administration was introduced in 1911 

 extending over a period of eighteen years. Meteorological observatories are to be estab- 

 lished in the most important forests and special subventions are granted for the restoration 

 of waste public lands and for promoting and protecting forests. The revenue from the sale 

 of timber and other products and from rentals amounted for 1908-09 to 949,634; in 1909-10 

 to 1,001,453; and in 1910-11 to 1,088,505. 



Foreign Trade. The foreign trade of Japan has shown considerable expansion during the 

 last few years. In 1908 the total value of the exports amounted to 37,824,567, and in 

 1911 to 44,743,388. The total value of imports for the first named year amounted to 

 43,625,746, which had advanced to 51,380,570 in 1911. The total value of foreign trade 

 for these two years was, therefore, 81,450,313 and 96,123,958. A large part of the ex- 

 port trade is to countries in Asia, of which China is far the most important; but the United 

 States is the principal customer, European countries taking a considerably smaller amount. 

 Of these, France has the 'most extensive dealings, Great Britain coming next. Although 

 Asiatic countries supply the largest proportion of imports (India being chief among them), 

 Great Britain is far the largest exporter, the United States coming third. 



Table II shows the value of exports from and imports to foreign countries for 1910-11. 



Finance. The total revenue amounted in 1909-1910 to 67, 754, 623, of which 48,- 

 324,217 was Ordinary and 19,430,411 Extraordinary revenue; in 1910-1911., 67,287,378 

 (49,133,132 and 18,154,245); in 1911-12, 57,399,699 (49,671,645 and 7,728,054); 

 and in 1912-13 (est.), 57,597,699 (50,259,719 and 7,337,98o)- The expenditures for 

 the same periods were as follows, showing Ordinary and Extraordinary: 1909-10, 53,- 

 289,363 (39,4i9,3i3 and 13,870,050); IQIO-II, 56,915,403 (41,200,918 and 15,714,- 



