In 1908 Japan’s output of petroleum was 1,872,592 U. S. barrels. Echigo is by no means worked out: new fields are constantly being discovered in that province. Then petroleum has been found in Hokkaidō and in the Yamagata and Shizuoka prefectures. So that among Japan’s modern industries her oil trade may be pronounced to be full of promise. How the quality of the Japanese oil compares with the American and Russian brands, we are not told by the Jiji, but from other sources we gather that when properly refined Japanese petroleum is equal to the best American and Russian oils.
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
The following table shows the national development in population, finance, trade, railway, vessels, telegraphs, savings, and currency, during the 30 years from 1872 to 1902.
| Year. | Population. (in Thousand) | State Expenditure. Yen. | Trade. Yen. | Railway. Miles. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1872 | 33,210 | 57,730,025 | 43,204,462 | 18 |
| 1873 | 33,300 | 62,678,601 | 49,742,830 | 18 |
| 1874 | 33,625 | 82,269,528 | 42,779,120 | 38 |
| 1875 | 33,997 | 69,203,242 | 48,586,738 | 38 |
| 1876 | 34,338 | 59,308,956 | 51,676,296 | 65 |
| 1877 | (unknown) | 48,428,324 | 50,769,424 | 66 |
| 1878 | „ | 60,911,336 | 58,862,974 | 68 |
| 1879 | 35,768 | 60,317,578 | 61,128,772 | 73 |
| 1880 | 35,929 | 63,140,896 | 65,021,987 | 98 |
| 1881 | 36,358 | 71,460,321 | 62,250,133 | 122 |
| 1882 | 36,700 | 73,480,667 | 67,168,344 | 170 |
| 1883 | 37,017 | 83,106,859 | 64,712,861 | 244 |
| 1884 | 37,451 | 76,663,108 | 63,544,112 | 262 |
| 1885 | 37,868 | 61,115,313 | 66,503,659 | 353 |
| 1886 | 38,507 | 83,223,960 | 84,044,745 | 430 |
| 1887 | 39,069 | 79,453,036 | 96,711,932 | 593 |
| 1888 | 39,607 | 81,504,024 | 131,160,744 | 912 |
| 1889 | 40,072 | 79,713,671 | 136,164,472 | 1,136 |
| 1890 | 40,453 | 82,125,403 | 138,332,086 | 1,339 |
| 1891 | 40,718 | 83,558,891 | 142,454,540 | 1,716 |
| 1892 | 41,089 | 76,734,740 | 162,428,833 | 1,870 |
| 1893 | 41,388 | 84,581,872 | 177,970,036 | 1,938 |
| 1894 | 41,813 | 78,128,643 | 230,028,141 | 2,118 |
| 1895 | 42,270 | 85,317,179 | 265,372,756 | 2,290 |
| 1896 | 42,706 | 168,856,509 | 289,517,234 | 2,507 |
| 1897 | 43,228 | 223,678,844 | 382,435,848 | 2,948 |
| 1898 | 43,763 | 219,757,568 | 443,255,909 | 3,120 |
| 1899 | 44,260 | 254,165,537 | 435,331,802 | 3,638 |
| 1900 | .... | 292,726,996 | 491,691,839 | 3,855 |
| 1901 | .... | 266,856,824 | 508,166,187 | 4,026 |
| 1902 | .... | 275,751,194 | ||
| Year. | Vessels. Ton. | Telegraphic Lines. Ri. | Savings. Yen. | Money in Circulation. Yen |
| 1872 | 22,364 | 87 | .... | 132,611,498 |
| 1873 | 26,988 | 806 | .... | 159,423,361 |
| 1874 | 26,120 | 1,758 | .... | 157,660,830 |
| 1875 | 42,304 | 1,833 | 15,224 | 154,931,596 |
| 1876 | 40,248 | 2,156 | 41,845 | 163,692,344 |
| 1877 | 49,105 | 2,876 | 100,138 | 175,432,023 |
| 1878 | 43,899 | 3,512 | 286,289 | 221,994,874 |
| 1879 | 42,763 | 3,842 | 494,114 | 215,912,239 |
| 1880 | 41,215 | 4,489 | 662,091 | 203,994,171 |
| 1881 | 41,044 | 5,078 | 821,938 | 195,742,688 |
| 1882 | 42,107 | 5,477 | 1,058,225 | 186,376,681 |
| 1883 | 45,350 | 5,871 | 2,298,502 | 182,625,317 |
| 1884 | 49,845 | 6,122 | 5,260,484 | 177,978,053 |
| 1885 | 59,613 | 6,283 | 9,050,255 | 181,433,916 |
| 1886 | 63,314 | 6,353 | 15,462,054 | 198,557,838 |
| 1887 | 72,322 | 6,818 | 18,417,022 | 200,157,163 |
| 1888 | 81,066 | 7,588 | 20,142,169 | 207,825,609 |
| 1889 | 88,816 | 8,191 | 19,976,419 | 220,748,343 |
| 1890 | 93,812 | 9,250 | 19,197,942 | 205,408,438 |
| 1891 | 95,588 | 9,113 | 26,424,174 | 210,872,584 |
| 1892 | 102,301 | 9,920 | 30,031,483 | 219,848,385 |
| 1893 | 110,205 | 10,230 | 32,199.954 | 244,847,437 |
| 1894 | 169,414 | 11,502 | 32,772,652 | 256,088,534 |
| 1895 | 213,221 | 12,212 | 41,143,695 | 291,665,016 |
| 1896 | 227,841 | 15,431 | 46,693,884 | 307,461,803 |
| 1897 | 426,624 | 18,360 | 51,550,536 | 330,470,142 |
| 1898 | 464,246 | 20,561 | 52,532,992 | 285,589,698 |
| 1899 | 498,376 | 24,342 | 68,829,712 | 332,702,090 |
| 1900 | 534,239 | 27,390 | 72,897,286 | 318,280,814 |
| 1901 | .... | .... | .... | 306,315,006 |
| 1902 |
NOTE.—In expenditure, the figures from 1872 up to 1898 are taken from the settled account, and those of 1899, 1900, and 1901 from the actual account. 1902 is from the Budget. In railways, the figures show the mileages of the lines belonging to the government as well as those belonging to private firms opened to traffic at the end of the respective years. The tonnage of vessels shown in the table is that of steamers. Before 1896, the figures represented the aggregate amount of both registered and unregistered tonnage, while from that year up to 1902, the figures only represented registered tonnage. In savings, the figures show the total amount saved in the post offices as well in the savings banks at the end of the respective years. The figures from 1890 to 1900 indicate, however, the amounts of the postal savings only.
From the “Tōyō Keizai Shimpō” (Oriental Economist).
DEVELOPMENT OF THE FOREIGN TRADE OF JAPAN
From the official statistics we give a table of Japan’s foreign trade each year from 1868 to 1901, and for 1909.
| Exports. Yen. | Imports. Yen. | Total. Yen. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1868 | 15,553,472 | 870 | 10,693,071 | 790 | 26,246,544 | 660 |
| 1869 | 12,908,977 | 990 | 20,783,633 | 090 | 33,692,611 | 080 |
| 1870 | 14,543,012 | 510 | 33,741,637 | 360 | 48,284,649 | 870 |
| 1871 | 17,968,608 | 660 | 21,916,727 | 650 | 39,885,336 | 310 |
| 1872 | 17,026,647 | 220 | 26,174,814 | 930 | 43,201,462 | 150 |
| 1873 | 21,635,440 | 850 | 28,107,390 | 030 | 49,742,830 | 880 |
| 1874 | 19,317,306 | 090 | 23,461,814 | 400 | 42,779,120 | 490 |
| 1875 | 18,611,110 | 610 | 29,975,627 | 620 | 48,586,738 | 230 |
| 1876 | 27,711,527 | 500 | 29,964,678 | 960 | 51,676,206 | 460 |
| 1877 | 23,348,521 | 600 | 27,420,902 | 950 | 50,769,424 | 650 |
| 1878 | 25,988,140 | 280 | 32,874,834 | 170 | 58,862,974 | 450 |
| 1879 | 28,175,770 | 190 | 32,953,002 | 390 | 61,128,772 | 580 |
| 1880 | 28,395,386 | 660 | 36,626,601 | 000 | 65,021,987 | 660 |
| 1881 | 31,058,887 | 930 | 31,191,246 | 020 | 62,250,133 | 950 |
| 1882 | 37,721,750 | 570 | 29,446,593 | 980 | 67,168,344 | 550 |
| 1883 | 36,268,019 | 590 | 28,444,841 | 780 | 64,712,861 | 370 |
| 1884 | 33,871,465 | 500 | 29,672,647 | 450 | 63,544,112 | 950 |
| 1885 | 37,146,691 | 430 | 29,356,967 | 920 | 66,503,659 | 350 |
| 1886 | 48,876,312 | 790 | 32,168,432 | 260 | 81,044,745 | 050 |
| 1887 | 52,407,681 | 150 | 44,304,251 | 690 | 96,711,932 | 840 |
| 1888 | 65,705,510 | 210 | 65,455,234 | 010 | 131,160,744 | 220 |
| 1889 | 70,060,705 | 820 | 66,103,766 | 600 | 136,164,472 | 420 |
| 1890 | 56,603,506 | 030 | 81,728,580 | 500 | 138,332,086 | 530 |
| 1891 | 79,527,272 | 340 | 62,927,268 | 380 | 142,454,540 | 720 |
| 1892 | 91,102,753 | 630 | 71,326,079 | 500 | 162,428,833 | 130 |
| 1893 | 89,712,864 | 590 | 88,257,171 | 710 | 177,970,036 | 300 |
| 1894 | 113,246,086 | 150 | 117,481,955 | 460 | 230,728,041 | 610 |
| 1895 | 136,112,177 | 920 | 129,260,578 | 280 | 265,372,756 | 200 |
| 1896 | 177,842,700 | 620 | 171,674,474 | 250 | 289,517,234 | 870 |
| 1897 | 163,135,077 | 320 | 219,300,771 | 640 | 382,435,848 | 960 |
| 1898 | 165,753,752 | 880 | 277,502,156 | 510 | 443,255,909 | 390 |
| 1899 | 214,929,894 | 310 | 220,401,925 | 990 | 435,331,820 | 300 |
| 1900 | 204,429,998 | 980 | 287,261,845 | 680 | 491,691,839 | 560 |
| 1901 | 252,349,542 | 100 | 255,816,644 | 700 | 508,166,187 | 800 |
| 1909 | 413,112,511 | .. | 394,198,843 | .. | 807,311,354 | |
| Imports Compared with Exports. | ||||||
| Increase. Yen. | Decrease. Yen. | |||||
| 1868 | ....... | .. | 4,860,401 | 080 | ||
| 1869 | 7,874,655 | |||||
| 1870 | 19,198,624 | 850 | ||||
| 1871 | 3,948,118 | 990 | ||||
| 1872 | 9,148,167 | 710 | ||||
| 1873 | 6,471,949 | 180 | ||||
| 1874 | 4,144,508 | 310 | ||||
| 1875 | 11,364,517 | 010 | ||||
| 1876 | ....... | .. | 3,746,848 | 540 | ||
| 1877 | 4,072,381 | 850 | ||||
| 1878 | 6,886,693 | 890 | ||||
| 1879 | 4,777,232 | 200 | ||||
| 1880 | 8,231,214 | 340 | ||||
| 1881 | 132,358 | 090 | ||||
| 1882 | ...... | .. | 8,275,156 | 590 | ||
| 1883 | ...... | .. | 7,823,177 | 810 | ||
| 1884 | ...... | .. | 4,198,818 | 050 | ||
| 1885 | ...... | .. | 7,789,723 | 510 | ||
| 1886 | ...... | .. | 16,707,880 | 530 | ||
| 1887 | ...... | .. | 8,103,429 | 460 | ||
| 1888 | ...... | .. | 250,276 | 200 | ||
| 1889 | ...... | .. | 3,966,939 | 220 | ||
| 1890 | 25,125,074 | 470 | ||||
| 1891 | ...... | .. | 16,600,003 | 960 | ||
| 1892 | ...... | .. | 19,776,674 | 130 | ||
| 1893 | ...... | .. | 1,455,692 | 880 | ||
| 1894 | 4,235,869 | 310 | ||||
| 1895 | ...... | .. | 6,851,599 | 640 | ||
| 1896 | 53,831,713 | 680 | ||||
| 1897 | 56,165,694 | 320 | ||||
| 1898 | 111,748,403 | 630 | ||||
| 1899 | 5,472,031 | 680 | ||||
| 1900 | 82,831,851 | 600 | ||||
| 1901 | 3,467,101 | 600 | ||||
| =1909= | ||||||