No. 414.
Mr. Hubbard to Mr. Bayard.
Tokio, June 2, 1887. (Received June 27.)
Sir: I transmit herewith the annual return of the foreign trade of the Empire of Japan for 1886. The total value of Japan’s export trade for the year was 48,870,471 yen, and the total value of her import trade for the same period was 32,168,432 yen, being a total of import and export trade for year of 81,038,903 yen, which is an increase of 16,601,510 yen over the total trade of 1885. The excess of export over import trade for the year under consideration was 16,702,039 yen.
The following table shows a comparative statement of the total export and import trade for 1885 and 1886 between Japan and some of the principal commercial countries. The values in this table as well as all values in this dispatch are expressed in Japanese yen.
Countries. | 1885. | 1886. | Gain. |
Yen. | Yen. | Yen. | |
United States and Canada | 18,340,052 | 23,347,202 | 5,007,150 |
France | 8,065,777 | 10,963. 815 | 2,898,036 |
China | 13,418,518 | 16,718,758 | 3,300,240 |
Great Britain | 14,827,399 | 16,898,603 | 2,071,204 |
Germany | 2,129,585 | 3,178,117 | 1,048,532 |
Corea | 469,114 | 1,392,763 | 923,640 |
East Indies and Siam | 3,889,047 | 4,210,462 | 321,415 |
Australia | 355,556 | 550,379 | 191,823 |
Exports from Japan to some of the principal commercial countries for 1885 and 1886.
Countries. | 1885. | 1886. | Gain. |
Yen. | Yen. | Yen. | |
United States and Canada | 15,613,868 | 19,988,216 | 4,374,348 |
France | 6,735,911 | 9,632,902 | 2,896,991 |
Great Britain | 2,411,978 | 4,195,355 | 1,783,377 |
Germany | 493,333 | 864,458 | 371,125 |
East Indies and Siam | 492,083 | 649,143 | 157,000 |
Italy | 120,593 | 181,200 | 60,607 |
China | 7,655,468 | 9,594,907 | 1,939,439 |
Australia | 281,235 | 469,914 | 185,679 |
Corea | 229,600 | 829,316 | 599,716 |
Russia | 245,291 | 231,695 | 14,596 |
Austria | 24,607 | 156,315 | 131,708 |
Imports into Japan for 1885 and 1886 from some of the principal commercial countries.
Countries. | 1885. | 1886. | Gain. |
Yen. | Yen. | Yen. | |
Great Britain | 12,415,421 | 12,703,248 | 287,827 |
China | 5,763,050 | 7,123,851 | 1,360,801 |
East Indies and Siam | 3,396,961 | 3,561,319 | 164,355 |
United States and Canada | 2,720,184 | 3,358,986 | 632,802 |
Germany | 1,655,652 | 2,313,659 | 648,007 |
France | 1,329,866 | 1,330,913 | 1,047 |
Corea | 239,514 | 563,447 | 323,933 |
Belgium | 317,682 | 507,908 | 190,226 |
Switzerland | 306,254 | 263,446 | 42,808 |
Italy | 95,998 | 119,557 | 23 559 |
Australia | 71,321 | 80,465 | 9,144 |
Of Japan’s nearly 49,000,000 yen in value of exports it is interesting to note that the following twenty-seven articles form over 45,000,000 yen:
Articles. | Value. | Articles. | Value. |
Yen. | Yen. | ||
Silk, all kinds | 21,070,636 | Fans | 195,144 |
Tea, all kinds | 7,723,320 | Matches | 378,017 |
Rice | 3,300,599 | Screens | 193,124 |
Coal, including for ship use | 2,208,548 | Bamboo ware | 191,271 |
Fish including shell-fish | 1,819,905 | Bronzes | 193,231 |
Porcelain | 1,002,384 | Hides and skins | 216,852 |
Copper | 2,130,880 | Wheat | 231,078 |
Camphor | 928,027 | Mushrooms | 437,397 |
Lacquered ware | 589,169 | Kanten | 392,604 |
Sea-weed | 598,414 | Beche de mer | 196,425 |
Straw ware | 179,618 | Peppermint oil | 63,206 |
Cotton piece goods | 229,665 | Sulphur | 72,938 |
Tobacco | 126,612 | Antimony | 154,318 |
Rags | 175,718 |
The foregoing list includes only Japanese productions and manufactures. Re-exported foreign commodities have been omitted from it.
Of the 32,000,000 yen of Japan’s import from foreign countries, the following twenty-eight articles compose over 30,000,000 yen.
[Page 662]Articles. | Value. | Articles. | Value. |
Yen. | Yen. | ||
Wools, woolen yarns, blankets, buntings, and other woolen goods | 3,565,871 | Iron—pig., bar, railroad plate, and sheet | 206,579 |
Kerosene oil | 2,358,497 | Steel and steel ware | 2,079,233 |
Sugar | 5,557,012 | Other metal manufactures | 568,511 |
Cotton yarns | 5,905,457 | Raw cotton | 618,429 |
Hair, horns, hides, etc. | 1,061,799 | Flour | 99,156 |
Shirtings, white and gray | 1,145,253 | Provisions, including butter, hams, bacon, and condensed milk | 361,800 |
Victoria lawns, T-cloths, and other cotton goods | 1,223,326 | Books and pencils | 169,480 |
Tobacco | 93,098 | Paper, all kind | 196,230 |
Wines and liquors | 488,551 | Clocks | 88,589 |
Cannons, muskets, etc | 374,491 | Locomotives, and parts of | 90,089 |
Medicines and chemicals | 979,894 | Watches | 165,774 |
Dyes and paints | 653,207 | Hats, caps, etc | 122,213 |
Glass and glassware | 249,047 | Machinery—mining, pumping, paper making, etc | 459,584 |
Grain and seeds | 103,146 | ||
Iron nails | 456,499 |
The principal imports from the United States to Japan for 1886.
Articles. | Value. | Articles. | Value. |
Yen. | Yen. | ||
Kerosene oil | 2,358,497 | Mercury | 44,875 |
Leather | 149,852 | Cotton duck | 22,789 |
Flour | 97,454 | Tobacco | 29,316 |
Provisions | 60,553 | Watches and fittings | 18,255 |
Condensed milk | 57,102 | Drugs, medicines, and chemicals | 50,642 |
Books | 53,230 | Lead pencils | 43,655 |
Clocks | 81,331 | Iron, and manufactures of | 16,130 |
I beg to call your attention to the interesting fact that while the aggregate value of imports from the United States into Japan increased in 1886 over 1885 632,802 yen, the gain on kerosene alone was 690,776 over 1885, the falling off being in such imports as leather, clocks’ watches, etc., and several other articles, as a comparison of the tables of the years 1885 and 1886 respectively indicates. The total imports from the United States for 1885, 2,726, 184, while for 1886 the imports have increased to 3,083,001. These figures speak for themselves, indicating the fact that while the balance of trade against the United States has not been decreased, American exports to Japan have increased in 1886 over 1885 more than half a million in value to with 632,802. The demand, per contra America for Japanese productions has increased largely over 1885, the Japanese exports to America in 1885 being more than 15,000,000, while for 1886 it has swelled to over 19,000,000. We buy of Japan more than Great Britain does by 15,792,861 than France by 10,355.314; and than Germany by 19,123,75. The United States should and can sell more largely to Japan than now of the varied products of our soil—wheat, flour, etc., and the manufactures of our mills and the fabrics of our looms. The absolute cost of production and manufacture, the vast advantage in the distance of transportation by sea, should enable our people to place their goods in the Eastern markets at as low prices (certainly for the same grade of goods) as French, English, or German manufacturers. Tour commercial statistics of the trade relations between China and the United States show the gratifying fact that American “piece goods” and cotton and woolen fabrics have found a ready and annually increasing demand in China. Why not in Japan, with her 38,000,000 of consumers, as well? I have had the honor to direct your attention to the fact heretofore [Page 663] that, so far as concerns materials for railway construction and bridges and locomotives, etc. (and even our iron and steel rails can enter into competition with English and German rails if our people will only submit to smaller profits, as the latter do in their shipments hither), we can successfully compete with our European rivals.
I have, etc.,
P. S.—I have omitted in the foregoing dispatch to call attention to the fact that the Japanese customs returns, herewith inclosed, speak of the “United States and Canada” as one; and that “East Indies and Siam “are put together. This is confusing, but as to the relative proportion of English and American trade it does not practically alter the status. “British India,” as the Department is aware, is only a part of the “East Indies,” while Siam no more belongs to Great Britain than Canada does to the United States.