Tokyo, Jan. 1.
Japan faces 1951 with high hopes for an improvement in ker economic Fosition and equally high hopes that the child to which Empress Nagako expected to give birth early this year will be a boy—a Crown Pri Who will be heir to the throne of the Empire and in time 125th Emperor in the Unbroken Line of the Land of the Rising Sun.
Economic depression and the expected Imperial Child were the two ain topies of conversation throughout Nippon as 1930 drew to a close. The firse, is expected to improve uring 1931, and that the which the Empress will give birth Into in February or early in March will be a doy is a foregone conclusion, in the popular mind, at ast, Emperor Hirohito and Env ess Nagako have two living children, the Princesses Toru ard Taka, Business has been bad throughout the current year, Japan suffering especially because of the lifting of the embargo on gold exports—which had prevailed since the World War—on January 11, Removal of the embargo brought Yen exchange New York to par, and Japanese exporters got considerably less Yer for their silk this year than they did last. Exchange made a considerable difference. Prices also were somewhat lower! And as sil by far the largest item in national experts the whole nation suffered accordingly.
The rice crop, however, was the lungest in years, with a considerable surplus for export. the police for mere than 100 hours: and attracted the attention of the entire nation.
The number of unemployed as th: year ended was estimated by Some unionists~believed it actually} was more than 2,000,000 adult wor' ers, In the field of international affairs there were several great achievements, including:
'Signature of the London Naval' Treaty, in which Japan established iefiritely her position as one of the three great sea powers, and slightly creased her ratio of naval strength with the United States and Britain compared to the strength alloted feer by the Washington Corference. Emperor Hirohito ratified—the Treaty with his Imperial Seal early in October, despite bitter opposition from the section of the Privy Council—high advisory body to the Throne—and many veteran raw officers. Minister of the Navy, Admiral Takarabe, who was one of the heads of the Japanete delegation which accepted the Treaty at London, resigned after the docu-had been ratified, because of rues, Reaetionary elements also opposed th: agreement and early" in November' one of their number, a youth named Yomec Sagoya, shot and dangerously wounded Prime Minister "Yuko Hamaguchi at Tokyo Central Railway Station as the Premier was preparing to leave for western the Fall Military
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.