Page:Japan by the Japanese (1904).djvu/424

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Chapter XVII

Commerce and Industries

I. General Survey of the Industrial Situation^[1]

By Baron Eiichi Shibusawa.
(President of the United Chambers of Commerce)^[2]

Japan has made wonderful progress in her civilization. But it must be remembered, above all, that Japan, as to her industrial and commercial career, is a young country, and that her progress has been so rapid as to call forth the opinion abroad that her progress is irregular. Only thirty-four years ago, at the time of the Restoration, the industry and commerce of Japan was very low in public opinion and in the social scale, the military and political classes only being considered honourable. I began the new era with the same idea, and for five or six years pursued a political career, rising to the position of Vice-Minister of Finance. Then I realized that the real force of progress lay in actual business, not in politics, and that the business elements were really most influential for the advancement of the country. So I gave up my political position and devoted my life to business, where I have been continuing some thirty years until to-day. I soon came to the conclusion that the capital of an individual was not large enough to accomplish very much, and

↑ The Protection of Industrial Property is dealt with in Appendix L.
↑ After the regulations relating to Chambers of Commerce were first promulgated in Japan in 1890 by Law No. 81, Chambers of Commerce were established at various places in the country till in 1892 the number reached fifteen. It having been thought desirable to open a general conference of the Chambers of Commerce in the whole country, at the suggestion of those in Osaka and ten other places, the first meeting of the Associated Chambers of Commerce was opened in Osaka in October, 1892, and it was then decided that a regular general conference should be held once every year, the places successively chosen afterwards for that purpose being Kobe, Kanazawa, Nagoya, Hakata, Hiroshima, Yokohama, and Tokyo (it was decided in 1899 that the regular general meeting should be held in Tokyo only). At present the Chambers of Commerce established in the whole empire in conformity to the regulations relating thereto, and admitted to the meetings of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, reach fifty-eight in number.

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[1] The Protection of Industrial Property is dealt with in Appendix L.

[2] After the regulations relating to Chambers of Commerce were first promulgated in Japan in 1890 by Law No. 81, Chambers of Commerce were established at various places in the country till in 1892 the number reached fifteen. It having been thought desirable to open a general conference of the Chambers of Commerce in the whole country, at the suggestion of those in Osaka and ten other places, the first meeting of the Associated Chambers of Commerce was opened in Osaka in October, 1892, and it was then decided that a regular general conference should be held once every year, the places successively chosen afterwards for that purpose being Kobe, Kanazawa, Nagoya, Hakata, Hiroshima, Yokohama, and Tokyo (it was decided in 1899 that the regular general meeting should be held in Tokyo only). At present the Chambers of Commerce established in the whole empire in conformity to the regulations relating thereto, and admitted to the meetings of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, reach fifty-eight in number.

[1]

[2]