Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1133

 LOCAL GOVERNMENT — AliEA AND POPULATION 1011

corainerce and industry of all nations ; and Japan recognises the right of Great Britain to take such measures, iu proximity to the Indian frontier, as may seem necessary for the safeguarding of her Indian possessions. The Agreement is for ten years (second period, 1911-1921), but it is only to terminate at the end of that period if denounced a year beforehand by one or the other of the signatory Powers. If the ten years shall have expired without denunciation of the Agreement, a year's notice by either Power is required for its termination, but if, at the date fixed for its expiration, either Power is at war, the alliance is to continue till the restoi-ation of peace.

Local Government.

For local administration Japan (except Hokkaido or Yezo ; Chosen, formerly Korea or Chao-psien ; Karafuto or Japanese Sakhalin ; and Taiwan or Formosa) is divided into prefectures ('Fu ' and ' Ken '). The prefectures are subdivided into municipalities ('Shi') and counties ('Gun'); and the counties are again subdivided into towns ('Cho') and villages ('Son'). Okinawa Prefecture and some islands have, however, special organisations. Municipality, town, and village are the units of local government. These administrative divisions foim at the same time local corporations of the same names. In each prefecture there are a governor ('chiji'), a prefectural assembly ('Fu-kwai'or 'Ken-kwai'), and a prefectural council (' Fu-Sanji- kwai ' or ' Ken-sanjikwai '), of which the governor is president ; in each county a sheriff, a county assembly, and a county council, of which the sheriff is the president ; in each municipality a mayor, a municipal assembly, and a municipal council, of which the mayor is the president ; and in each town or village a chief magistrate and a town or village assembly. Prefectual, county, municipal, town and village assemblies give decision mainly upon financial matters. The prefectural and county councils give decision upon matters delegated by the prefectural and county assemblies respectively, and upon matters of pressing necessity when the respective assemblies are not in actual session.

The qualifications of the prefectural electors are (1) citizenship and residence in the prefecture ; (2) payment of the direct national tax to the amount of not less than 3 yen for one year in the prefecture. Persons eligible for election must pay direct national tax to the amount of not less than 10 yen. Citizenship is shared by all male Japanese subjects not less than 25 years of age, who for two years (1) reside in the municipality, or town, or village ; (2) share its burden ; and (3) pay land tax or not less than 2 yen direct national tax annually in it. The governor and sherifl' are appointed b}'" Government ; the mayor is that one of three candidates elected by the municipal assembly who has obtained the Emperor's approval ; and chief magistrate of town or village is one who has been elected by the town or village assembly and has obtained the governor's approval,

Hokkaido has a governor and a special organisation. Chosen has a Governor-General. The pejiiusula is administered in 13 Do or provinces, these being sub-divided into 329 Tuand Yun or districts. Taiwan (Formosa) also has a governor-general, who is invested with very extensive powers. The island is divided into 20 local divisions (Cho), each of which has a chief magistrate. Karafuto is divided into 5 local divisions (Cho).

Area and Population.

The Empire consists of the five principal islands of Houshiu (mainland), Kiushin, Shikoku, Hokkaido (Yezo), and Taiwan (Formosa) ; besides the Chishima (Kuriles), Sado, Oki, Awaji, Iki, Tsushima, Liukiu, Ogasawarajima (Bonin), Hokoto (Pescadores) islands, the peninsula Chosen, and the southern half of the island of Karafuto (Sakhalin). Total area about 175,540 square miles, of which the mainland occupies 87,426 square miles. Taiwan (Formosa) and Hokoto (the Pescadores) were ceded by China in accordance with the treaty

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