Japanese Government has published the trade returns for the first five months of thq current year. According to this publication, the export of raw silk-aggregated something like Y.224,000,000, which indicates an increase of about Y.70,- 000,000 over the figures recorded {ur the corresponding period of last year. This is, however, not generally considered as indicating any reassuring prospects since, contrary to the increased value of exports, the returns reveal a marked decrease in quantity. As compared with the figures for May last year, the returns for last month show a decrease of some Y.5,000,000 in value. This is attributed to the general depression that appears to have set in throughout American business circles. It will be noted with interest, however, that such commodities as matches, refined sugar, straw braid, porcelain and toys, were exported in increased quantities.
On the import side, there has been a marked decrease in rice. imports up to the end of May aggregating Y.8,740,000 against 'Y.76,000.000 recorded for the corresponding period of last year. This decrease is explained by the abundant rice crops of last year, which naturally contributed much' to easing the popular anxiety concerning the foodstuff problem. 5
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.