THINGS JAPANESE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 196, 8 May 1918, Page 7

THINGS JAPANESE

IRIADE POSSIBILITIES IN THE PACIFIC

RUSSIA'S DfeßT TO JAPAN

CHARACTER OF THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE

In referring to the reported statement Srom the J tori. S. Shimizu, Japanese Consul-General for Australia, that, cases where merchant) may have been imposed upon, or fancy that they have been, •would bo investigated, and if the claims ■were justified redress would follow, that gentleman, in the course cf .111 inter,viow with a Dominion representative yesterday, snid that tho report was nuito correct. Cases had been settled in Australia, and, as the result, «. much better Understanding had beui arrived at between Japanese exporters mid Anstialian importers, Mr. Shiinizu pointed out that .such difiiculties were not so easily overcome as most people imagined. In many cases iimstigation had proved that the Japaneso manufacturer was not to blame at all where goods inferior to sample had been supplied. The -Japanese manufacturer received his orders lrom foreign firms operating in Japan, and consequent upon tho price-cutting ,1 Wfts existcnt the article was probably the best that could bo turned out at the price, and as such was handed over to the foreign W which had re-peived-tho order from overseas, and that mm shipped the {roods away. The matter was mado a difficult tne for the Japanese authorities to handle owing to the number of foreign fiims acting as middlemen between the manufacturer and tho importer at this end.

Pay a Fair Price. Mr.. Shimizu's advice to morchants .here wad to got into touch with reputable nrnis and not to expect to get tho goods too cheaply. 'If merchants were prepared to pay a fair price for a good (article he was quite sure that Japan jrould , bo able, to supply. Aβ to the possibilities of developing <s. direct trade with New Zealand, Mr. shimizu said that Japan, in. common ;with every other country in the world, ,was suffering from a shortage of shipjping, but as soon as lire war was ovor lie wns sure that there v,-ould be a very me increase in the trade lxstween Japan and Australasia. Japan was going in less for silk, and more for woollen goods, and woollen mills had been established at Osaka, lokio, and elsewhere, and were not only manufacturing Tngs, blankets, nndorclothing, and tweeds, but were turning out a very fine light material for tamonos-a material which lasted better than silk and was. warmer. Japan used from to .£6,000,000 worth of tops an a year, which showed the marked advance of the woollen industry there, for ,Ji -few years ago tho Japanese dressed •exclusively in silk and cotton-mostly cotton. Thero was no doubt that tho iuture would see Japanese buyers operat. Jng here, when the golden fleece was on sale. Japan's output of wool was a negligible quantity, and likely to bo for many years, though there were experimental farms thore at which endeavours were being made to breed sheep that .would do well in tho country. ' Russia and Japan.' The visitor says that Japan's trade as the result of the war has increased immeasurably. Russia was her largest customer. Japan had supplied Russia with from to .£500,000,000 worth of war material, and the bulk of that .waa still a debt to Nippon. On the ether hand, Japan's trade in Siberia, Manchuria, and Korea had been seriously disrupted, by the war, and probably ■would not become settled again until hostilities were , at an end. 1 here were a great many Japaneso traders in Eastern Siberia, and Ilr. Shimizu noticed that the Japanese colonies in Vladivostok and Irkutsk had been raided by the Russians. iWhen asked how long the Japanese Government was likely to stand that sort-of thing, Mr Shimizu uaid: "Not for 'too Jong!" What the Japaiieee had wanted to do was to advance into Siberia and hold ; the ■■'.chief railway junctions as ..a ■butter to German ■ aggression, but tho Allies had. decided to try to work in •harmony with tho Russian people—to bring them to soino sort of realisation that.the foundations of tho nation were imporilled and organise them into an effective force that would check the. rot which had sot in. Mr. Shimiku expresses himself as doubtful about the issue. "Tho Russian Socialist does not think the same as you or. I about bis country," 6aid he. "At tho time of the French- Revolution the people went mad and committed all sorts of extravagances, but underneath ■they had a deep love of country. I don't find that in tho liussian. It is hard to inow- how ho tliinks—what his mental attitude is towards tho destiny of his own country. , ' .

i Japan at Work. Japan was-very active in building up her ' own fleets, naval and mercantile. Her efforls in shipbuilding had been cramped for a vrhilo, owing to the dilliculty. in yetting steel plates from 'Amorica, but a complete uiderstanding liad now been arrived <at as the result of the recent Japanese Government Mission to Washington, and this year she .was getting 300,000,000 tons of.steel plates from the "'United States. Japan had-no iron,-but imported ore from China (near Hankow), from which eho was able to make a certain quantity of steel, but not

sufficient for her shipbuilding requirements. Sho was also building many submarines and aircraft of nil kinds, ready for any cvbntii ility or call that might bo mn<lo upon aw. Mr. Shimizu chatted c(uito freoly on all subjects broached—savo one. Ho could not say anything about the Navy. "It isa silent Navy, just like tho British, but always at work!" And with this compliment to his own as well ns tho British Navy tho Consul-General happily eudiid tho interview. Ho will return from tho south oji May W. and will be pleased to see all those who aw interested in trade matters conected with Japan,