JAPANESE MARITIME SCHEME

Evening Star, Issue 22442, 12 September 1936, Page 8

JAPANESE MARITIME SCHEME

INCREASED CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY MORE EFFICIENT SERVICES DESIRED Consequent upon the_ inauguration of a direct steamer service with Japan, and the possibility of new avenues of trade because of the imposition of trade embargoes by Australia, considerable interest has been shown in the shipping activities from the East recently. Local markets have been influenced to some extent by Australia’s loss of the supply of hides, tallow, and other primary products which Japan requires for the furtherance of its secondary industries, and reciprocally, New Zealand buyers have imported quantities of Japanese commodities which have been placed on the market since the rise of Japan to a position where its industrial status merits serious consideration. With a faster service, this exchange has become more readily effected, and with the visits of some of the Jap.iresh vessels to Dunedin in the past two months it is interesting to note that there has been a renewal of vitality in Japanese shipping in recent years. Japan’s merchant fleet consists at the present time of approximately five million tons of ships, ranking third in the world tonnage, preceded by Britain and America. Its prominence in international marine traffic circles has become so remarkable only over the past few years._ At the commencement of the twentieth century the fleet was enlarged through the direct influence of the Russo-Japanese War, but with the need for the importation of foods as well as raw materials, further expansion was rendered necessary if a satisfactory export trade was to be developed. To balance the loss of revenue on the commodities trade, the international shipping service, which constituted the bulk of invisible trade and thus supplied the revenue, was given every assistance, both the governmental and commercial circles having an interest in the welfare and progress of the most important Japanese industry.