Tokyo, Feb. 13.
The shortage of electric power in Japan was the subject of keen discussion at the plenary session of the House of Peers today.
Replying to an interpellation by Mr. Masatsune Ogura, noted finander, Mr. Masanori Katsu, Minister of Communications, expressed regret that the shortage of electric power supply had inconvenienced the key industries.
An Imperial Ordinance, he declared, had been invoked for effecting a 30 per cent. reduction in the supply of electric power in central Japan, and 35 per cent. in western Japan, starting February 10. A Mr. Katsu, however, gave an assurance that the reduction would be modified to 20 per cent on Februery 20.
Meanwhile, he continued, the Government had done everything possible to secure coal stocks amounting to 650,000 tons in February and 500,- 000 tons in March.
The lifting of the restrictions on the supply of electric power, the Minister continued, would depend upon whether the drought would be broken, and also whether an even supply of coal could be secured.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.