THE SOY BEAN FOR OIL AND OTHER PRODUCTS. 
The soy bean forms one of the most important articles of food in 
Japan. It is one of the principal ingredients in the manufacture of 
shoyu (soy sauce), miso (bean cheese), tofu (bean curd), and natto 
(steamed beans). The beans are eaten also as a vegetable and in 
soups ; sometimes they are picked green, boiled, and served cold with 
soy sauce, and sometimes as a salad. A " vegetable milk" is also 
produced from the soy bean, forming the basis for the manufacture 
of the different kinds of vegetable cheese. This milk is used fresh, 
and a form of condensed milk is manufactured from it. All of these 
foodstuffs are used daily in Japanese homes and for the poorer 
classes are the principal source of protein. To a limited extent, 
soy beans are used as a horse or cattle feed, being sometimes boiled 
and mixed with straw, barley, and bran. 
Table II shows the exports of soy beans and bean oil from Japan dur- 
ing 1913 and 1914. Prior to 1914 soy beans were not listed separately. 
Table II. — Quantity and value of exports of soy beans and soy-bean oil from Japan to 
foreign countries, 1913 and 1914- 1 
Soy beans. 
Soy-bean oil. 
Country of destination. 
1914 
1913 
1914 
Quantity. 
Value. 
Quantity. 
Value. 
Quantity. 
Value. 
Pounds. 
62, 820 
589 
$1,372 
21 
Pounds. 
220, 155 
214,491 
73, 890 
66 
69,057 
658,393 
Ill, 328 
11,570 
3,907 
3 
3,405 
34,386 
Pounds. 
184, 104 
1,019,854 
$10, 198 
48, 687 
10, 979 
333, 735 
365, 478 
588 
16,573 
19, 393 
United States 
421,011 
203.560 
246; 175 
18,070 
20, 967 
10, 125 
5,296 
4,540 
475 
504 
56, 218 
587,413 
3,234 
30, 101 
69,652 
120, 240 
274, 080 
3,196 
748 
18,542 
Total 
973, 192 
22, 333 
1,879,683 
97,934 
2,378,122 
117,925 
i Compiled from Annual Return of the Foreign Trade of the Empire of Japan, 1914. 
As previously stated, Japan has been a large consumer of soy 
beans and soy-bean products from Manchuria, the greater part of 
the beans being used in the manufacture of oil and cake. The im- 
ports from Dairen, Manchuria, the principal port through which 
beans and bean products are exported to Japan, are shown for the 
years 1911 to 1914, inclusive, in Table III. 
Table III. — Quantity of imports of soy beans, soy-bean cake, and soy-bean oil from 
Dairen, Manchuria, into Japan, 1911 to 1914, inclusive. 1 
Product. 
1911 
1912 
1913 
1914 
Soy beans 
Tons. 
162, 703 
357, 362 
9,340 
Tons. 
103,416 
357, 752 
10, 889 
Tons. 
90,651 
492,985 
3,964 
Tons. 
139, 222 
447, 080 
4,107 
Soy-bean cake 
Soy-bean oil 
Compiled from Dairen Wharf Office Returns, 1911-1914. 
