JAPAN
315
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
