Tokyo, Dec. 31.
MID the strenuous efforts required to prosecute the war in China, Japan nevertheless has been vigorously pushing a variety of industries and projects designed to bring in money from labraad, or to alleviate the expenditure in foreign countries of the money she has. or both.
In fact, the China war, with always the prospect of another Jwar with Soviet Russia just beyond the horizon, has spurred on liier enterprises in this rection as never before.
It is the story Jof a sustained effort to make as much money abroad as possible land to spend as little.
One of the most interesting of Japan's industries in this category is that of whaling. For a good many years Japan has had comparatively Small whaling-boats catching whales, also of comparatively small size i the waters off the northeast coast of Japan, and northward up to the Bering. Strait. "This enterprise is now being carried on with redoubled energy, with more modern, though rather small: vessels.
But far more spectacular is Japan's entrance into the Antarctic whaling Held. The beginning was only some three oF four years ago, with a fac ory-ship of about 15,600 tons. bought from Norwegian interests and rename ed the Tonan Maru No. 1. This pre-feat season Japan has a leet of six large, modern factory-ships working, fall blast in the South Polar waters.
According, to radio messages received in Tokyo from these vessels, they have already caught this season more than $000 wholes, and at this rate it is expected that they will catch a {otal of froth 7,000 to 8.000 whales by the middle of March, when the present season for pelagic whaling inthe Antarctic will end. This, "of course, would set a record for Japanese activities in that region.
Tt" is estimated that st about 8,000 whales are" caught, the carcasses Should yield about 120,000 "tons of all, This ill. all be sold in England or Holland, and will add a very. tidy. sum, probably well in ex. cess, of ¥.5,000000 to Japan's funds abroad.
By-Products {o Japan Moreover, these whales will yield vast quantities of meat, leather and Donemeal, which will all be brought home to Japan. In the present emergency, when Japan is rigidly excluding' all imports not absolutely necessary for the national existence of prosecution of the war in China, these products will quickly go into} consumption as substitutes for beet and oxhides, large quantities of which have hitherto been imported, and for imported fertilizers, respec tively. In. this way they will make considerable contribution to the Present economic systesh, Both beef and leather go into military requirements. The import of oth ix prohibited, so, the quantities available' for general consumption have greatly decreased and the public use of leath is strictly restricted. The use of Heath from ox and other ibides for making shoes, travelling cases, sporting, goods, and most other Jeategorics is prohibited. The prices Jot both beef ahd ox and other hides wwe considerably advanced.
'So when Japan's whaling fleet returns, there will be great demand for the meat and whale-leather. There! has been much propaganda already' for the use of the meat, and a variety of ways of turning It into tasty dish Jes has been studied. Also much pro-fores has been made in the use of whale-leather for shoes and many] lather articles, which have been shown] {in public exhibitions.
The whales, being caught in the] open seo. though not far from Aus {ralia and New Zealand's back doors, fare free for the taking, and so. cost athing except the cost of the ships fand their upkeep. Thus, with the Intter exceptions, the revenue from the oil and other products is all nett profit and particularly acceptable to Japan in her present situation, Ships Never dle Another point worth noting is that these big, factory ships are not left Idle inthe whaling off-season, but fare used to transport petroleum, in loads of 20000 tons a. voyage, Japan. "The vessels, with their tanks illed with whale oil at the end of the season, proceed to Europe to dis-[charge it, usually at London or Ams~ ordain. They then proceed to California or other producing districts, fil up with petroleum and bring it back to Japan for discharge at Yokosuka of other naval ports. They are! fable to make further voyages to get petroleum before departing again in October for the Antarctic. For this reason the Japanese navy favours the development of the whaling industry.
With the exception of the Tonan Maru, all whalers were built in Japan tea have the mea! modern eauiperal every respect. They are of from, foa oak of shmor boat each capacity for 20800 fons' oH Each several hundred tons, the newest factory-ship, the Kyokuyo Maru, hav-
Ing_nine. The Japanese ships are operated with the utmost economy. and the gunners get only about one tenth of the fabulous waxes pald those with the Norwegian and other The Japanese vessels begin operat-Ing in the Antarctic about a month sooner than other fleets. This season they. arrived there. beiweon the beginning and the middle of November. while other Meets did not get there Batu round the middle of December. The latter comprise, according, to reports received in. Tokyo, ton Norwegian, nine British, seven German, one American and one Panama vessels, While Japan's present fect of whalers numbers six, it will not stop at that. Though temporarily held up by the existing emergency period, and high cost of shipbuilding, the feet will be added to until it numbers at Jeast ten vessels.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.