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“...Japan during the year
under review.
To supplement these remarks, the kind permission of the Foreign
Board of Trade of Kobe (formerly styled the Foreign Chamber of
Commerce) has been obtained to make extracts from that body's
annual report and from the report of its annual general meeting. The
chairman drew attention to the large increase in the value of cotton
imported during 1909, due in a large measure to the rise in its market
value, but also to the increase in the number of spindles and new mills
which tended to stimulate consumption. As to trade in general, he
said he was afraid that few of the members would be able to regard the
year 1909 as being anything else than a disappointing year. Several...”
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“...Although the year 1909 opened
with the price of " forward" middling at the low rate of 30 yen*
(31. Is. 3d.) in consequence of the heavy crop of the previous year,
business was at that time being transacted on a somewhat exten-
sive scale, the poor prospects for the new crop later brought about
a gradual rise in the rates, which reached at one time the high figure of
47 yen (4Z. 15s. ll-}-mills in Japan
have been exercising great economy in regard thereto. The figures given
in the table on page 8 indicate that the imports of this cotton do not
show a large decrease as compared with the previous year, but this is
due to cheap purchases contracted for during the previous season.
During 1909 the imports of Indian cotton, upon which the
* 1 yen = 2«. OJrf....”
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“...one hand to the additional spindles in many of the
mills, and on the other hand to the fact that Indian cotton in many
instances replaced American and Chinese. Quotations gradually
advanced in sympathy with the tendency of American cotton and in
view of the fact that the total crop of the previous year was ascer-
tained to be much below the expectations of the market. Notwith-
standing frequent reports to the effect that the new cotton crop would
be heavy, the high prices ruling for American cotton induced the
purchase of Indian by European and American markets, the consequence
being that there was hardly any decline in quotations ; on the contrary,
there was at times a tendency to advance. Although most of the
Japanese mills failed to secure their cotton at low rates, they contracted
forward at the beginning of the year for large quantities at moderate
rates, in due course paying higher prices. However, the stocks in
the hands of mills being short, " spot" business was fairly brisk
towards...”
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“...counts during 1909 reached a total of 1,025,244 bales, this being an
increase on the previous year's figures of 146,674 bales. As regards the
volume for export in 1909, this reached 258,878 bales, an advance on
the previous year of 91,036 bales. Notwithstanding the curtailment of
spindles to the extent of 27J per cent, for home consumption throughout
the year, there was an excess in the total production, this being due to
the addition of new spindles to several of the mills, and to the measure
adopted by the Ringokwai (Mills Association) of granting a subsidy for
the encouragement of the production of yarn for export. In regard to
actual business transacted, the year 1909 cannot be described as entirely
bad, but, from the financial standpoint, matters were not altogether
satisfactory, owing to the repeated fluctuations in the prices of yarn
and cotton. At the opening of the year 1909 the market was active,
and a series of very large export transactions was recorded. This must
be attributed...”
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“...large increase both in quantity and value over
the figures for the year 1908 and a slight increase in value over the
figures for the year 1907. The Osaka mills use large quantities of
Indian cotton, and more than 90 per cent, of the cotton imported direct
to Osaka during the year 1909 came from British India. American
and Chinese cotton, which is also extensively used, is imported through
Kobe.
The quantity of raw cotton used by the chief mills in Osaka Pre-
fecture during the year ending June 30, 1909, was 167,423,681 lbs.
The quantities of the various kinds of cotton consumed by the
above mills during the same period were as follows :—
Lbs.
Indian ... 98,173,728
American
Chinese
Egyptian
Indo-Chinese
Other ...
33,729,703
29,591,611
4,400,393
1,111,596
416,650
Towards the end of the year the stocks of raw cotton held by
the mills became much diminished, with the result that advantage
was taken of the abundant crop in India to secure fresh supplies, and
the figures for the import of...”
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“...working 27 }y per cent, of
their spindles in order to reduce the output of yarn. This restriction
remained in force during the whole of the year 1909 and none of the
mills were working full strength. With the object of encouraging the
export of yarn, moreover, a system of bounties was instituted during the
year, whereby the spinners of the coarser counts of yarn receive a bonus
for each bale exported. This bonus is at present fixed at the rate of
1 yen 50 sen (3s. Of d.) per bale in the case of yarn of count 20 and under.
The arrangement is to remain in force until the end of April, 1911.
The total number of spindles working in all the mills of Japan in
December, 1909, was 1,707,631 (of which 43,867 were mules). Of this
number 648,743, or about 38 per cent., were in Osaka Prefecture, the
numbers working in the principal mills and their branches being ring
spindles 639,420, mule spindles 9,323.
The number of bales of cotton yarn produced by the spinning
companies in the Osaka Prefecture...”
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“...final figures for the year show an increase in the value of the exports
from the whole country of over 45,0002. as compared with 1908, and
the industry is now in a most flourishing condition. The chief com-
petitors of the Japanese in this respect are goods of German, British
and Spanish make. The trade in Europe, however, has been suffering
recently from the rise in the price of cotton and yarn with the result
that the price of the goods has also risen. In Japan, on the other hand,
the spinning mills held during the latter part of the year considerable
supplies of cotton which they had bought when the market was low,
and as the demand for yarn was not very brisk, the hosiery factories
had at their disposal a plentiful supply of comparatively cheap yarn.
The excellent harvest in India, too, favourably affected the demand for
goods, and orders are now coming in in large quantities, while the export
figures for the first two months of the current year were more than...”
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“...operations in the autumn.
Sakai is a city with a population of about 60,000, situated 6
miles to the south of Osaka on the edge of the bay. The most charac-
teristic industry of the place is the manufacture of rugs and carpets of
excellent quality. These carpets are made in large quantities in the city
and there is a considerable export, chiefly to the United Kingdom, the
value of the export to that country in 1908 having been 21,9422. out of
a total of 34,0702. There are also cotton spinning mills and several
large factories in the city, which has developed rapidly of late years.
The electric cable factory mentioned in the report for the year 1908
as being in course of erection by Mr. Sumitomo is now turning out
considerable quantities of cable, chiefly for Government use. Plant has
also been installed at the Sumitomo copper works for the making of
brass tubes.
The Sakai Celluloid Company organised by the Mitsui Bussan
Kwaisha will shortly start operations at their new factory in Sakai...”
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