Tokyo, Nov. 28.
Nationally-fostered habits turned into a boomerang against the Government, officials revealed today in complaining that the Japanese virtue of thrift, bolstered by the imposition of the odd-sen taxes on amusements, cigarettes and beverages because of the hostilities, caused a sudden scarcity in small change.
Despite full-time manufacture of the small coins and 50-sen notes, the scarcity continues to be acute, they said.
Ticket agents and bus conductresses are said to feel the pinch for more small change with a growing number of customers presenting Y.5 and Y.10 notes.
Increased circulation of currency notes which at the end of September reached a new high level of Y.2,280,- 000,000 against the existence of only 71Y452,000,000 in coins of small denominations, was blamed for this.
Some relief is expected when the printing and stamping presses will have produced Y.42,000,000 in notes and small coins by the end of the present fiscal year. The amount, it was officially promised, will be doubled for the next fiscal year.—
Domei.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.