With the expansion of her hea' expenditure on the hostility China, Japan's imports in 1938 show a further increase, while her exports will remain on the same level as in 1937. Such is the view of Japanese experts concerning Japan's foreign trade this year.
Imports of raw cotton, wool, wood-pulp, synthetic dyestuffs, lumber, and crude rubber, which constitute, the bulk of Japan's imports other than the goods related to the munitions industry. are subject to. official restriction by regulations promulgated last year.
Imports of raw cotton will be so restricted as to curb the consumption of cotton for the manufacture of home-consumption goods by 25 per cent, (The authorities estimate that the raw cotton imported into Japan has been used for the manufacture of export goods up to 60 per cent. and the remaining 40 per cent. for the manufacture of home-consumption goods.)
The Japanese Government estimates that 150,000 to 200,000 bales of yeel have been used for the manufacture of export goods and some 654,000 bales for home-consumption gooos by 40 per cent, or 260,000 bales. this not increase much year may over last year.
Foreign "Retaliation"
This arises in the possibili that Japan's import restrictions mer only entail a rise in internal production costs, but will also provoke retaliatory acts on the part of other countries, Some Interests fear the possible loss of Japan's so-called new markets because some 300 kinds of articles, whose import has been prohibited, are mostly the products of these new markets." Nonetheless, most of the articles involved in Japan's barter trade agreements with other countries have been carefully excluded from the list of import bans. Japan, moreover, will use special discretion as regards imports in exchange for which she may increase her exports.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.