JAPAN AND HER PEOPLE

Hokitika Guardian, 2 July 1930, Page 2

JAPAN AND HER PEOPLE

The visit to London of Prince and Princess Takamatsu has .provided the occasion for the interchange of very cordial sentiments and honourable decorations as between the Sovereigns of the widely-separated island kingdoms of the West and East. The Emperor of Japan becomes a Field-mar-shal of the British Army, and King George adds to his many orders that of the Rising Sun of Japan. Ilis Majesty's message to the Emperor conveys the hope that Prince Takamatsu will carry back with him renewed assurances of lasting friendship between the two countries, and the Emperor’s reply expresses his confidence that the Prince’s visit to England will be conducive, to a strengthening of the bonds of amity betwixt the two realms. Such cordial gestures on the part of Royalty strike a pleasing note in Uhe international sphere.

The relations between Great Britain and Japan have been, of course, traditionally good. As a signatory to the tripartite Naval Treaty, Japan has lately been prominent in internatio-mi affairs She has done her utmost t.. make the conference a success, and has thereby gained the esteem of other nations. To New Zealand and Australia the bogey of a Japanese invasion has been frequently presented, but still there is not the slightest movement to lend colour to the idea.

• Familiar tactical exercises for officers in the Australiaii defence forces generally begin by supposing a Japanese force landed somewhere on the coast. Most of us have been led to believe that Japan suffers acutely from over-population and that she is constantly on the look-out to seize any desirable piece of territory. A Japanese writer in, a Russian paper proceeds, by an analysis of the latest figures, to show that not only is his country less densely populated than several others, but that the number of her emigrants is practically negligible co'mpared with the total population, and further, a more startling fact, that over- 9o per cent, of the food for the nation is produced within the country.

He maintains that the popular belief in Japan’s over-population has really, 'been the argument in favour of, expansion, that has been accepted with the least resistance by foreign countries. ■;• In-the. last fifty years the population; of, Jgpan has almost doubled, being now-i. about sixty millions, and ’Mr •Anouy’e; the well-known statistician,?;''predicts', that in 1965 the population 'Will roach one hundred and eight iißwops. 1 In the last- l)alf ■ century ’|the, birth rate "has increased by cent., hut tlie death rafe;. has alsQj; increased by 12 perfeent. giving a net increase in population from '5.5 per thousand to 12.7, or 131 per pent, l These figures are amazing and ure* unparalleled in recent history. Compared with this increase of 12.7 we-have Italy close behind; with 12.2, America with 10,7," Cermariy 8.8, England. 7.7 and France 2,0 On the other hand there are countries with con-, sjderahly greater;lncreases, e.g., Ar-?. gentine 18.1, Bulgaria. 17.8, Egypt 17,5, Australia 14.2 and'Canada 14. To obtain a correct view of the pro-j biem, we must read these figures in conjunction with certain other factors, viz., the density of population, the food supply and emigration. Japan has 167 persons in the square mile, while England has 189, Belgium 250, and France 74,

In the northern parts there are as few as 28 people per square mile, while around Tokio there are 2093. The food supply and emigration are closely related, for if there were a shortage of food, the inhabitants would certainly move to more favourer; countries,' and the fact that the emigrants number not more than .03 per cent, o'f the population is indicative of a satisfied state of mind, ■ i AVhen it is realised-also that Japan produces practically the whole of her food supply, idea is gained of the store of latent power she possesses, Slightly less than half the country is at present under forest, a great part of which could easily; be made available for agriculture; and it is concluded that at least for another fifty year's Japan could satisfy her own food problem provided, of course, that there is no upheaval of her economic organisation.