JAPAN.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 552, 6 July 1909, Page 5

JAPAN.

FEELS THE DEPRESSION WORLD-WAVE IMPORTS AND EXPORTS. BIGGEST DECREASE SINCE 1888. (By Tolcgraph.—Prose Association.—Oopyrlebt.) Sydney, July 5. Mr. Sutton, Now South Wales Commercial Agent in tho East, in his annual report, says that Japan is evidently passing through o, serious phase in its history. Tho value of the Empire's exports last year was £5,416,000 less than in tho preceding year, and tho imports £5,820,000 less. It is tho first time sinco 1868 that the exports have shown suoh a, groat falHng-off. THE SUGAR COMPANY SCANDALS. DEPUTIES SENTENCED. Tohlo, July 4. As a sequel to tho sugar frauds in Japan, I twenty-three Deputies have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment raneing from three to ten months. THE,HONOUR OF THE DIET. A determined effort had been made for tho last two sessions of the Japanese Diet-to nationalise the Sugar Company. It then transpired from confessions alleged to have been made by arrested directors that, in order to bring this about, .£12,000 was spent in bribery, and the names of somo fifty members of Parliament havo beon mentioned in this connection. , ... Tho Government showed no mercy in the exposure. One member of Parliament after another was placed under arrest, and those who had refused to believe that corruption and bribery were common in tho Japanese House of Parliament, found their faith sadly shaken. The Constitutional party, or Seiyukai, whion carried everything before it in the last session of tho Diet, controlling an absolute majority has been the chief sufferer. This is not tho party of the Premier, though it gave him its The Premier's party, however, does not como rout untouched. T,wo of its members in Parliamint are in prison. Eleven other members of Parliament have been arrested on charges of accepting bribes. i , Even the Upper Honse suffers a certain loss of prestige . In any event (says a Router mesfnge), the holders of the.. stock of the Sugar ' Company will have ;to he; contentwitH a very ' small share of;.their former holdings. •■ ,\ ■ u.-.