Page:Japan by the Japanese (1904).djvu/410
exceeding 20,000,000 yen a year at the rate of 2 per cent. In March, 1887, a special ordinance for the Specie Bank was promulgated (Imperial Ordinance No. 26, 1887), and at the same time the capital was raised to 6,000,000 yen. The consequent growth of its transactions necessitated the further increase of its capital to 12,000,000 yen in the same year. In 1899 the capital was again doubled, making 24,000,000 yen, of which 18,000,000 yen are now paid up.
The following lines of business are transacted by the bank: (1) Foreign exchange; (2) inland exchange; (3) loans; (4) deposits of money and custody of objects of value; (5) discount and collection of bills of exchange, promissory notes, and other cheques; (6) exchange of coins. The bank may also buy or sell public bonds, gold or silver bullion, and foreign coins, if the condition of business demands it. The bank may also be entrusted with affairs bearing on foreign loans and the management of public moneys for international account.
| Years | Capital. | Reserves. | Receipts and Disbursements. |
Net Profits. |
Dividends. | Rates of Net Profits on Capital and Reserves. |
Rates of Dividends on 100 Yen of Capital. |
| Yen. | Yen. | Yen. | Yen. | Yen. | Yen. | Yen. | |
| 1899, 1st half |
11,311,875 | 7,300,000 | 4,207,217,513 | 1,517,858 | 787,500 | 8.155 | 7.500 |
| 1899, 2nd half |
12,000,000 | 7,500,000 | 5,231,165,143 | 4,799,501 | 3,900,000 | 24.100 | 7.500 |
| 1900, 1st half |
18,000,000 | 8,000,000 | 4,740,986,500 | 1,278,846 | 985,151 | 4.919 | 6.500 |
| 1900, 2nd half |
18,000,000 | 8,130,000 | 4,061,982,362 | 1,754,339 | 1,170,000 | 6.714 | 5.500 |
The Hypothec Bank of Japan was founded in 1884 by Law No. 82 of the same year as a joint stock company with a capital of 10,000,000 yen, under the special patronage and control of the Government, for the purpose of furnishing long-period loans at a low rate of interest for improvement and development of agriculture and industry. It was to serve as the central organ of credit for agricultural and industrial enterprises of larger scale throughout the whole country, as agricultural and industrial banks of each prefecture are destined for local activity in the same branch of business.
The chief lines of business transacted by the bank are as follows: