Financial and Economical Annual of Japan Volume 8 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908 edition. Excerpt: ... OF FOREIGN TRADE. Though foreign trade was opened in Japan more than three hundred years ago, not only were the sea-routes far from safe, and the various means of communication in a very primitive state, but the extremely restricted manner in which foreign trade was conducted, prevented its making any marked progress. In 1637, the Shogun's Government put a stop to general trade; a few countries were, however, admitted to trade and intercourse, but no definite tariff system, such as we have to-day, was adopted, the only receipts from the trade being derived from the collection of a part of the proceeds of such trade as fees. In 1858, commercial treaties were concluded with Great Britain, the United States of America, and three other Powers; and the rates of import and export duties were fixed by agreement with them, while at the same time a few important ports were opened to foreign commerce. These events which enabled trade to be freely carried on also brought about its rapid development. In 1866, the Conventional tariffs with Great Britain, the United States, and two others were revised; and in the following year, notwithstanding the outbreak of the war of the Restoration, our foreign trade was happily uninjured and made steady progress. With the Restoration disturbances caused by the political changes of the time gradually subsided, and people began to turn their attention to various industries. Meanwhile the opening of the Suez Canal rendered Europe more readily accessible to the Orient, and railways were built across the United States to the Pacific Coast; these and other improvements in the means of communication afforded direct facilities to our commerce, and at the same time indirectly stimulated our industries, leading thereby to...