Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 5.djvu/35



A further sum of 81,000,000 yen is obtained by indirect taxation, namely:—

On the other hand, the ordinary expenditures aggregate 164,000,000 yen. Thus there is a surplus of 37,000,000 yen. At present this surplus is absorbed for extraordinary and terminable enterprises forming part of the post-bellum programme described above, but in a short time the country may look forward to finding itself with a substantial annual balance on the right side.

In spite of the conclusive evidence furnished by figures such as the above, an impression prevails in Europe and America that Japan's financial condition is not sound. People seem to be influenced solely by the fact that her expenditure has grown with striking rapidity, and to forget altogether not only that the Treasury is every year