Japan by the Japanese/Chapter 18.3

Rice, as is well known, is the chief food of the Japanese people, and the yearly harvest of it affects the Japanese economy in a degree much higher than the crop of wheat does the European markets, as the production of rice is limited to a narrower region than that of wheat. Thus Japan suffered much when in 1897 her rice harvest proved very poor, and she had to import a large amount of rice from China and European colonies in the Far East. The next year the highest figure of above 47,000,000 koku was attained; since then Japan has had continually a good harvest of rice, and in 1901 it nearly ​approached again this highest figure. This circumstance cannot but bring a very favourable effect to the Japanese market, which is now just recovering from a state of inactivity.

The question whether the inland production of rice is sufficient for the whole inland consumption is not easy to answer. According to the minute statistics collected by the same department, it seems that Japan, in face of the yearly increase of population of 400,000 to 500,000 in average, cannot neglect to consider the question of future supply of food. The share per head of the inland production of rice is calculated to be about 1.075 to 0.602 koku. If the population under four years of age be put aside as being nourished otherwise, the share per head for the remaining population is increased to 1.195 to 0.678 koku. Taking 0.004 koku as the average amount of rice daily consumed by one person, the yearly consumption per head must amount to 1.46 koku, or a deficit of 0.264 to 0.782 koku per head. Besides, it must be remembered that for obtaining the average share above stated the amount of rice consumed for saké brewing and as seeds for future plantations only is deducted, the consumption for other various purposes being omitted, as the figures are unknown.

This must imply a large amount of import of rice from abroad, but the statistics show that the import of rice, although sometimes very considerable, is usually counterbalanced by the export, the exceptions occurring only in cases of bad harvest. This apparent paradox, however, may easily be explained, when we consider the fact that various other kinds of corn, such as kibi (Panicum miliaceum), awa (Panicum italicum), barley, wheat, etc., which show an aggregate amount of production of about 25,000,000 koku, and also potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc., are taken by no small number of the population instead of rice; moreover, the figures are generally undervalued. So the inland production of rice is sufficient for the present, but the consumption of rice shows a tendency quickly to extend itself to wider classes as the standard of life rises, and it will not be long before Japan has to complain more or less of the want of food-supply, if she neglect to take due care for the increase of the production of rice.

This question has not escaped the careful consideration of the Japanese Government. The institutes for agricultural experiments established many years since in various provinces are doing their work very well for improving the method of farming. In 1899 a new law was promulgated to facilitate the rearrangement of farm fields, partitions, and of irregular furrows and canals. If works of this kind be carried out to a sufficient extent, the area of the farm fields will be considerably enlarged, without opening any new land for cultivation. ​By these and other means Japan may be said to be well prepared to meet the increasing demand for food.

According to the official statistics recently published by the Department of Agriculture and Commerce of Japan, the rice crop of 1901 in that country is estimated at 46,854,241 koku (1 koku is equal to 4.629 bushels), or 552,883,241 yen in value, if we take the average price of rice in 1901 as standard. This is the highest figure in the last twenty-five years for which there are reliable statistics, except in 1898.