2234 COMMERCIAL JAPAiS". [December, 



priests. Weai-in? apparel, such as silk and cotton clothes, has greatly improved since the restoration, both in arts of manufacture and 

 quantity of production ia all parts of the coimtry. Now it meets the demand of home consumers, and also is becoming one of the staple 

 commoditiea of export; while engraving and sword-smithmg, which at one time were highly developed, when Buddhism and war were 

 popular, have fallen away. 



AETICLE V. CONCLTTSION. 



Commerce in Japan was not thought of for a longtime, and facilities of transportation were only for armies to invade the territories 

 of neighboring lords. After communication with China and Korea had been established many things were brought in, especially 

 Chinese literature; but there was no active exchange, because when our people were strong they thought that China and Korea belonged 

 to them, and so made tliem give yearly compulsory presents, and those countries, in turn, when they were strong wanted our country 

 under their command, and often they made invasions, but in vain. "When our country was prosperous, those countries were in the 

 trouble of rebellions. Then only luxurious goods were exchanged. Even up to the sixteenth century people were satisfied with self- 

 produced food supplies. They spun for themselves, made their O'-vn clothing, and all fuel was gathered in near forests; consequently 

 there was little exchange. In fact, the country was only semicivilized islands. After communication with America and European 

 countries had been cstaljlished rapid progress was made. Transportation facilities and increased income from their products and increase 

 of manufactm-ing industries gave our people the idea of exchange. But an antiforeign spirit arose with the treacherous motives of the 

 Spani.-h and Portuguese merchants mixed with their Christianity, and the Government persecuted the believers and drove those 

 merchants and priests out of the country. This was exactly like the i^resent condition of China, but the European countries were not very 

 strong, for lack of transportation, and could not disturb our affairs. But this shows that our people were very strong in fighting ability 

 and, at least, not barbarians. The physical geography of the country is advantageous to transportation by water. Its fertile land along 

 the seacoast and the water supply for irrigating their lands furnished by the vast number of rivers gives a large food production and_a 

 rapid growth of population. Prosperity, followed by wealth and peace, sometimes flourished, then declined, disappeared, and again 

 arose, and each new era brought better results. 



After China lost its last opportunity for invading Japan, our sea merchants discovered that it would be far more profitable to 

 become pirates than to make money in general bargaining. This made a great improvement in the art of shipbuilding, and the 

 navigation power over Asiatic seas fell into the hands of our country. 



Looking at the history of the fifteenth century of Europe, one sees that great changes were made in navigation and trade. The 

 discovery of America and navigation from Europe to the Orient by the Cape of Good Hope brought great profit to the Europeans. If 

 the Japanese pirates had had a far-sighted view of the world's commerce in place of i)racticing piracy, and had continued their maritime 

 power, they would now, in my opinion, hold the place which England has in the commerce, and all commercial power would have fallen 

 into the hands of our country. Moreover, the prohibition of Christianity in itself was not bad administration, but it was foolish for the 

 majority to close the doors against foreigners, which act prohibited the people for over two hundred years from crossing the ocean or 

 building large ships, and destroyed all the art of sliipbuilding. This, of course, had the indirect result of checking the development of 

 home industry, as well as foreign trade. It is sad to thmk that the great power on water which the country early developed went into 

 the hands of foreigners. Notwithstanding this the country might be a large maritime power in the Orient, parallel with England's, 

 because the location is advantageous, and hundreds of vessels were floating in the Jaj^an seas, going sometimes as far as the Philippine 

 Islands, and sometimes even to Mexico, in the early history, but for this policy of the "closed door." 



Immediately after the country opened its doors to Europeans, new knowledge of civilization poured in. The old civilization has 

 advanced, and with intellectual effort and influence has reconstructed civil society and promoted material wealth, and has raised the 

 people from ignorance. Railway, navigation, and banking systems were most beneficial to the development of our commerce and were 

 the warp of the fabric of our civilization. Every decade finds it more full and comprehensive. The railroads and navigation gave 

 facilities of transportation by land and sea, and naturally caused the increase of products and population, and brought great benefit to 

 the people. Coimtry places came mto cultivation, mines were opened, and advancement in commerce was very great. All heavy and 

 bulky articles which are very troublesome to transport, such as lumber, mining products, etc., were handled more readily, and they became 

 the staple products of the country. The banking system developed the idea of saving, and those accumulations of deposits from which 

 the people got a safe income created a financial reserve. The banking system directs and sustains the commercial enterprises ar.d 

 industrial activities, and serves as the medium by which the business of the country is carried on, just as the Bank of England fumi-'ned 

 the necessary funds in her war with Franco and as the Bank of North America loaned money to the Government in its financial troubles 

 in the llevolutionary war. 



The war and triumph over China gave a most interesting experience to our people. The Japanese once believed in the tradition of 

 betterment by defensive and offensive alliances, but this war destroyed this fancy in our people, for at the first of this war England 

 opposed Japan and then cliauged her mind entirely at the end, ivhen Japan had accomplished this great achievement. Russia, German}'-, 

 and France paid great rc.«pect to our country at first, but reversed their action after we had gamed our victory. The only permanent 

 and beneficial policy for our people is to improve our industry and develop our trade, and make our own country wealthy and powerful. 

 The United States and England arc the strongest countries because of their much improved industiy and trade and their wealth. So 

 the Govcrmnent encourages commerce and trade by sending officials to study AVestern civilization, giving subsidies to the necessary 

 business firms, giving tlie right of eminent domain to railroad companies, establishing chambera of commerce, mercantile museums,* 

 commercial clubs, banks, exchanges, markets, commercial corporations, and commercial schools. And our people have followed in the 

 eame track in recent yeais, and the progress of our country ia so rapid as to be without parallel. 



Chapter II. 



PRESENT CONDITION. 



One of the most Ptriking foalnres of modem times is the growth of internaiional relations of ever increasing complcxily and 

 inflneiut'. .AFcuns of c( innninicutiou and trans}iortalion have so rapidly improved as to add greatly to iudu.*trial pro.'^i>oot.«. whether of 

 agricuUuro, mining, or inanufaituring. Facilities of commiuiicaliou have produced competition of the diffeivnt coir •■ • ' ■ -i. 

 The Ihiitod Kingdom hold a monopoly on machinery, locomotives, and railroad materials for a lung time, but now the s 



coming rai)idly to conii);>t(< with or rather surpass the former, and European and American articles are fouud in Jaj , .- c- -''^ 



advantage to our coufuniers. 



Mefore the war witii China, in 1894-95, Japan's economic condition was fair, both in commerce and finance, and even during the 

 war tilings wont very smoothly, the enormous sum of 150,000,000 yen being borrowed in the country without much trouble. The 

 victory over China gave the people great encouragement as to the future prosperity of the country. And as part of the war exj>en9e 



•Mercanlilo museums. cxliibiUns; (1) home products, staple commodities of export, articles cnpablo of future exportation, and articles to 

 Imporlctl commoiiilies: (^2) A)rt'i>;u products of articles sorviiiK ns models for homo manufactures, articles compctinu with home piwducts in fori 

 articles apprchcmlcd as luluro competition with home export commodities, articles commaudine large sales lu forcipn markets, imjwrteil thetvlo irvnr. ■ ihor 

 countries and f ajiable of being manufactured in the count ly, staple commodities of imports, articles promising future importation, and r*w materials of industry. 



