Washington, Feb. 3.
United States commerce with Asia flourished in 1937 despite hostilities in China. Trade in both directions was higher, figures released to-day showed.
Japan was third in the United States market with exports to Japan 41 per cent. above 1936. Asia supplied a larger portion of imports into the United States than any other region and displaced Europe for the place of first regional supplier.
Exports to Asia were U.S.$579,749,- 000 compared to U.S.$398,885,000 in 1936; to China, U-S.$49,967,000 compared to U.S$46,819,000 in 1936; to Japan, U.S.$288,378,000 compared to "U.S.$204,348,000 in 1936; to the Philippines, U.S.$85,030,000 compared to 'U.S.$65,050,000 in 1936.
Imports from Asia were U.S.$967,- 415,000 compared to U.S. $707,728,000 in 1936; from China, U.S.$103,616,000 compared to the previous year; from Japan, U.S.$204202000 compared to U.S$171,174,000; from the Philippines, U.S.$126,207,000 compared to U.S.$161,679,000.
In Decentber exports to China were U.S.$1,87,000 compared to U.S.$4,48,- 000 in December 1936; to Japan, U.S.16,532000 compared to U.S.$16,- 433,000. Imports from China in December 1937 were U.S.$4,992,000 compared to U.S. $4,548,000 in the same period in 1936; from Japan, U.S.$11,839,000 compared to U.S.$16,- 451,000—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.