The year 1939 saw Japan's national debt increase by almost 30 per cent, and total in U.S. currency $5,595,000,- 000 or more than double the debt be fore the China war began.
The bond absorption rate declined in a pronounced manner, says the report, and this caused some concern because 1940 is expected to see the flotation of bonds valued at U.S.$1,- 500,000,000.
The European war, it states, caused measures to be introduced to suppress speculation, regulate commodity prices and supervise shipping. "It was generally realized however that the nation. was in no position to take full advantage of the trade opportunities offered by the European war."—Reuter,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.