THE INDUSTRY AND TRADE OF JAPAN
By S. Uyehara, M.Sc.
It behoves the capable business man to acquire as much knowledge as he can of the conditions, methods and progress of his competitors and rivals ; especially when they are successful competitors, and more especially when their success is to his detriment. Therefore, this complete and exhaustive survey (P. S. King, 12s. 6d.) of the industry and trade of England's recent formidable rival, Japan, can be recommended. England and Japan are both island countries, surprisingly alike in so many respects, each with its very different traditions and proud of its history, formerly allies and still bound by strong ties of personal sympathy and friendship. But Japan has, in the past ten years or so, emerged as a very formidable rival ; and the complacent outlook of the Victorian captains of industry and leading manufacturers has been bitterly shattered, and the great world depression (also well known to the Japanese, whose vocabulary includes a special word for it—" fukeiki ") has found us losing our former position as the premier industrialists and manufacturers of the world. Perhaps this is due to the peculiar world conditions, but it may also be due in some respects to the better organisation, equipment, facilities, position, or even to the more rational system and control of our rivals. At least, in striving towards recovery, this question must be thoroughly investigated ; and if only from the selfish point of view, this survey which covers the whole field of Japanese industry, trade, finance, banking, transport, mining, manufactures and distribution, is worthy of attention.
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