Page:Japan by the Japanese (1904).djvu/463

the importation of inferior quality teas, and providing for the inspection of all imported tea by fixed standard sample. The Tea-Traders’ Association at once established tea-inspection offices in Yokohama, Kobe, and Nagasaki, and all the export tea is passed through the hands of the expert inspectors stationed in each of these centres. The tea is sampled, and then sent in bond to America, thus obviating any possibility of the bulk of the tea differing from the sample submitted. Bad tea is rejected, and thus all tea passing through these inspection offices bears a guarantee of a certain standard of excellence, which gives it an enhanced selling value.

As we have seen, the trade in tea with foreign countries found its beginning in the opening of Yokohama as a commercial port in 1860. This was accomplished principally through the agency of the Americans, and therefore, naturally enough, the first exports went to that country. Tea was among the most important of the early exports to America, and the people of the United States very early developed a liking for the beverage. Thus, the trade in tea increased very materially even in the early years of the New Era. Tea may be said to be the foundation of American-Japanese trade, since it made the name of Japan more widely known throughout America, and as a result many European goods were sent to Japan, and trade began to grow. America is still Japan’s most important customer for tea, and the Japanese tea-planters remember with gratitude that it is to America that they owe much of their prosperity. In 1901 the export of tea to the United States had reached a value of some 6,821,390 yen (about £700,000) annually. Canada also is a large buyer, the sales for 1901 being 1,676,026 yen. To China and Russian Asia there is considerable export, but, as yet, the European countries import very little Japanese tea, their demands being satisfied with Ceylon, Indian, and Chinese teas.

So important did the tea trade become with America that it was felt to be very necessary to take the requisite measures to insure the quality of the export tea. Also there was a desire to keep the prices moderate, so that nothing should be placed in the way of the extension of the export. It was feared that should all the merchants be allowed to compete one with the other, while the price might go down, the quality would also show a tendency to become less excellent.

Although the industry of tea-planting is generally only an accessory one on the farms, it occupies an important position among the exports. In Kyushyu and Shikoku wild tea is gathered from the mountains for the manufacture of black tea.

It is only rarely that the cultivator prepares the tea for sale himself. He usually sells the green leaves to the manufac-