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 JAPAN

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JAPAN

things. The classic school is disappearing by degrees, and popular art is without character or brilliancy. The struggle continues between Japanese and Euro- pean art. In the interest of the arts and with a view- to promoting them there are three societies and five special reviews.

Ceramics. — Japanese pottery dates from the re- motest antiijuity, but the progress of ceramics com- pared with the other arts was very slow. The primi- tive potteries of Japan had for many centuries an em- bryonic and barbaric character. In the thirteenth century Kato Shirozaemon, known by the name of Toshiro, introduced the processes in use in China and founded the first Seto workshops. The productions of Seto dominated the industry until the seventeenth century. Then appeared Ninsei, an artist of genius who was the real creator of national ceramics and who even to-day is regarded as the greatest ceramist Japan ever produced. Through him the Chinese, Corean, and Japanese elements were blended, and from their mixture emerged a national art. In recent years the making of porcelain has undergone considerable devel- opment owing to the demand from abroad. The chief species of porcelain are: Seto (Owari), 4300 workmen, annual output 1,300,000 yen; Mino, 3S00 workmen, output 1,000,000 yen; Arita (Saga), work- men, 2000; Kutani (Kaga), 1200 workmen, output 220,000 yen; Kyomizu (Kyoto), one of the most im- portant manufactories of Japan; Tokoname (Owari), output 320,000 yen; Tobe (lyo), output 150,000 yen; Fujina or Izumo, output 120,000 yen; Hasami (Naga- saki), output 100,000 yen; Satsuma, output 40,000 yen. much esteemed by foreigners.

The history of the arts of Japan would fill a large volume. Sculpture, engraving, carving, bronze, lac- quer-work, enamels, metal work, alloy, are the prin- cipal branches in which the Japanese have excelled and produced truly remarkable work.

FiN'.^NCE.s. — From the earliest times large store- houses (okura) were buUt to receive the objects sent as presents or taxes to the court. At the reform of Tai- kwa (64.5) a ministry was constituted having at its

head an Okura-kyo (minister of finance). lie was charged with the collection of duties, the distribution of pensions, the verification of measurements, etc. In 1885 the name of Okura-sho was given to the ministry of finance. The minister of finance is charged with the resources of the State. He has under his jurisdic- tion three bureaus, that of accounts (Shukeikyoku, that of taxes (Shuzeikyoku), and that of the adminis- tration of finances (Rizaikyoku). The budget of re- ceipts and expenses is drawn up yearly. Each minis- ter prepares his own according to the needs of his department. These private budgets are arranged by the minister of finance, while at the same time means are devised to meet the expenses. This project is dis- cussed at a council of the ministers, afterwards sub- mitted to the Chamber of Deputies, who discuss it and give a decision, then to the Chamber of Peers, who re- ject or approve it. If the new budget is rejected, that of the previous year is adhered to. Lastly, the budget must always be submitted to the sanction of the em- peror.

Table showing the progressive growth of the budget since the beginning of the present reign: —

Fiscal Year

1869-70 1879-80 1889-90 1899-00 1908-09

20,959,499 yen 62,151,752 " 96,687,979 " 254,254,524 " 619,797,671 "

20.107,673 yen 60,317,578 " 79,713,672 " 254,166,538 " 619,797,671 "

The annual average of the ordinary and extraordi- nary expenses of the Japanese army and navy in 1S94- 95, and during the years which followed the Treaty of Shimonoseki, was 104,524,000 yen; m 1908-09 they rose to 188, .537, 365 yen.

Public Debt. — The amount of the public debt on 31 December, 1907, was 2, 276, .346, 452 yen; interior debt, 1,110,645,228 yen; foreign debt, 1,165,701,224 yen. The annual interest of the interior debt is 5%, that of the foreign debt, 4%, U%, and 5%.

GOVERN.MENT BUDGET, 1908-09

Ordinary Receipts

Extraordinary

Receipts

Ordinary Expenses

EXTR.tORDINART EXPENSES

yen 85,718,594 27.571,513 21,854,307

71,809,684

4,007,184 16,293,911

19,462,196

204,640 2,041.193 41,410,920

10.218,841 20,374,582

38,606,783

12,963,854 50,571.213 37,054,470

5,084,903 10,489,211

From sale of gov-

emment.property

Sum turned in by

local administra-

Receipts from sub- scription of loans

Transfer of funds for maintenance of forests

Transfer of funds for building of torpedoes

Loans (temporary)

Transfer of excess of preceding re- ceipts and ex- penditures

Chinese indemnity

Other receipts

yen 2,786,199

1,076,679 41,07r,116

2,458,500

10,539,586 1,766,000

75,830,809 2.0.30,199 6,500,584

yen 3,006,000

3,612,607

10,651,195 254,440,080 70,209,779

34,810,737 10,977,966

6,285,534

7,533,846 25.667,049

Ministry of foreign affairs

Ministrj- of the in- terior

Ministry of finance

Ministry of war. ..

Ministry of the navy

Ministry of justice

Ministry of public instruction

Ministry of agricul- ture and com-

Ministry" of' com- munications. . . . Other expenses . ..

yen

Income tax

Ta.x on licences. . Tax on the making

of sake and beer. Tax on shoyu

(Japanese sauce)

Tax on sugar

Tax on stuffs, tex-

Ministry of foreign affairs

Ministry of the in- terior

Ministry of finance

Ministry of war. .

.Ministrj- of the

3,168,233

13.414,353 20.514.206 37,206,994

46,150.855 645,307

Ministry of justice Ministry of public

instruction

Ministrj^ of agricul- ture and corn-

Tax on licences of

pharmacies

Taxonmmes

Customs duties. . . Taxes on the Stock

1,727,817 9.955,341

Exchange. banks of exchange, in- heritances, and petroleum

Stamp revenue. . ..

Posts, telegraphs, and telephones.

Proceeds of state

Ministry of com- munications. . ..

59,369,825 449,947

Tobacco monopoly

Railway proceeds.

Other proceeds of government en- terprises

Sundries. .

Total of ordi- nary receipts..

475.7:i7.999

Total extr.iordi- nary receipts

144.059.672

Total ordinary expenses

427,194,793

Total extraordi- nar>- expenses.

192,602,878

Grand total of or receipts.. ..

dinary and extraordinary

619,797,671

Grand total of ordinary and extraordinary- expenses... 619,797,671