JAPANESE HOLD ON INDIAN TRADE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 34, 4 November 1919, Page 2

JAPANESE HOLD ON INDIAN TRADE

IMPORTS TEEB.LED IN TWO YEAES,

Tt is generally realised that during the war Japanese traders, obtained a strong old oa the Indian market, (write the Shnla correspondent of the London "Times'' The figures *» the official yea, 1918-19 show that in that period imports into India from J»P™ ™$«L a tnhl of Es. 33i crorcs (JE22,333,d3d). fif'tn of India's total import trade, in 1 previous year; importo roni Japan amounted to Ks ,18 crores (fIWSW. .and in 19111-1? to Ks. l»i croies (J wW'not so generally appreciated is rh important part'which Japanese houses established in India play in the trade I ried on between India and country other than Japan. Tho cennus of 1911 shoved that there were at hat limo only 38 male Japanese in India, excluding Burma. There are now large Japanese colonies both in Calcutta and Bombay, which appear to bo steadily growing in numbers and importance. ihree Japaneso oxchange banks, moreover, ura carrying on business in India, whereai three years ago there was only one. Ten years ago the greater part of the Japanese products imported into India wero carried in British ships, financed by British banks, and distributed by liritish or Indian traders. Now, howevei.'BO per cent, of these gocd3 come into'lndia in Japaneso steamers. 'I hey are to a large extent consigned to Japanese'firms, and tho trado is mainly financed and distributed by Japaneso nationals. Similar conditions obtain in the export trade. Tho Japanese Cotton Spinners' Association practically dominates tno market for raw cotton, and Japanese luiyors.are found in tho cotton markets in the rural areas. In many cases they gin and halo their own purchases. To illustrate the growth of Japaneoo shipping enterprise, ono has only to ohservo that since 1912-18 the cargoes by Japaneso shipping companies octwu-u Indian and countries other than Japan has risen from 3H,'io9 tons to oliS.OllO tpim.