ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

At the end of 1935, the latest date for which figures are procurable, there were 4,644 factories engaged in the manufacture of chemicals and allied products, with a total of 267,958 employees, compared with 4,313 factories and 227,987 employees in 1934. (These figures include the production of rayon, rubber goods, vegetable and mineral oils.)

PRICES

There were marked advances in chemical prices during 1937, influenced by the general upward trend in the world level and by the abnormal conditions resulting from hostilities in China. This was a reversal of the trend of the 2 preceding years. The price index numbers compiled by the Mitsubishi Research Institute showed advances of 36 percent in industrial chemicals, 12 percent in fertilizers, and 9.5 percent in dyes. Prices moved upward steadily during the first 5 months of 1937, were fairly steady from June to September, then advanced sharply during the latter part of the year.

Changes in Price of Specified Chemicals (Based on Dec. 10, 1931=100)

[blocks in formation]

The latest official production statistics are for the year 1935, showing total production of firms employing more than five workmen, amounting in value to 1,102,477,000 yen ($316,411,000), an increase of 30 percent over 1934. In a number of cases there is a substantial output by smaller producers, which is not shown in the following table:

Japanese Production of Chief Chemical Products in 1930 and 1935 1

[blocks in formation]

1 Includes output of factories employing more than 5 workmen. In a number of cases there is a substantial production by smaller producers and occasionally the Department of Commerce and Industry issues complete production figures for various products which show a wide variation from their factory statistics from which the above have been compiled.

No figures or estimates were available for the entire year of 1937. Since the imposition of the Military Secrets Protection Law, publication of statistics has been prohibited. Until October 1937, the Department of Commerce and Industry issued monthly figures covering production of principal chemicals. Official reports on production of seven chemicals for the first 10 months of 1937 showed an increase of 17 percent over the corresponding period of 1936. The Oriental Economist Index of general chemical production for the first half of 1937 showed a gain of 18 percent over the first half of 1936. Production increased during the latter part of the year.

1

INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS

Both consumption and production of industrial chemicals reached all-time highs in 1937. This is evident from the high production figures for all industries which use chemicals or chemical processes and from the large demand resulting from military activities. The Department of Commerce and Industry reported an output of 277,810 metric tons of caustic soda in the first 10 months of 1937, compared with 219,426 for the corresponding 10-months of 1936 and 263,327 for the entire year of 1936; 190,294 tons of soda ash, compared with 181,751 in the 1936 period; 73,759 metric tons of bleaching powder, compared with 63,954 in 1936; and 3,120 tons of aniline, compared with 2,879 tons in 1936.

FERTILIZERS

Production of fertilizers expanded materially in 1937. There was also a corresponding increase in consumption, so that the expected large-scale exports of fertilizers were postponed. Producers benefited by the higher level of prices, although there was a substantial increase also in raw material and other production costs. Official control over the industry was strengthened during the year. Both exports and imports of ammonium sulphate were placed on an official license basis.

Production of ammonium sulphate during the first 10 months of 1937 amounted to 1,116,389 metric tons, a gain of 61,833 tons over the corresponding period of 1936. Imports amounted to 224,000 metric tons, and exports to 7,000 for the entire year of 1937, and an estimated net supply excluding stocks of 1,577,000 metric tons. Most of the imports came from Japanese-owned plants in Manchuria, and the remainder came from the European Syndicate. Japan has attained practically complete self-sufficiency with respect to ammonium sulphate, but the steady expansion in domestic consumption leaves no large surplus available for export.

According to official statements at the current Diet session, producers of ammonium sulphate had an annual "authorized" capacity of 2,100,000 metric tons on January 1, 1938.

Production of superphosphate during the first 10 months of 1937 amounted to 1,354,430 metric tons, an increase of 253,546 tons over the corresponding period of 1936. During the same periods, output of calcium cyanamide was 241,498 metric tons, a gain of 81,355. No production data were available on other fertilizers, but there was a marked increase in various compound fertilizers as they are not subject to such rigid control.

These figures include only the production of leading plants and exclude amounts used by such plants in other chemical processes.

DYES AND OTHER COAL-TAR PRODUCTS

The dye industry continued to expand during 1937, and producers benefited by the much higher level of prices which prevailed throughout the year. Outstanding progress was recorded in the production of the better grades of dyes and in intermediates. These included various naphthol dyes, new dyes for rubber, new lake colors, and carbazol blue. Improvement in the range and quality of vat dyes also was reported.

Despite the marked expansion in production, imports were the largest since 1929, and exceeded 5,000,000 pounds, valued at $5,000,000. Exports declined 13 percent to 13,500,000 pounds, valued at $1,800,000.

MEDICINALS

Domestic production of drugs, pharmaceuticals, and medicinals continued to expand at a considerable rate but no figures are available. Official statistics showed that exports of acetyl salicylic acid for the year 1937 were 65,600 pounds, a new item in the preliminary statistics. Exports of prepared medicines were valued at $850,000 in 1937, compared with $880,000 in 1936.

GOVERNMENTAL REGULATIONS

The Emergency Foreign Trade Control Law, effective October 11, 1937, made imports of various chemicals subject to Government license, this being almost an embargo on such imports. The chemicals affected included cod-liver oil, stearin, olein, perfumes, acetic acid, lactic acid, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, sodium bicarbonate, matches, natural indigo, zinc white, Prussian blue, barium sulphate, and lithopone. Exports of naphthalene and nitric acid also were controlled by this law.

During the year there was much legislation designed to secure more effective Government control over industry and to meet the emergencies resulting from the hostilities in China. Numerous adjustments in production of chemicals were made in order to meet military requirements.

FOREIGN TRADE

There was a marked increase in 1937 in both imports and exports. of chemicals and allied products; imports amounted to 211,510,500 yen ($60,915,000), an increase of 24 percent from 1936, and exports totaled 116,506,000 yen ($33,554,000), an increase of 16 percent. The relative increase in imports was substantially greater than in preceding years, attributable partly to higher prices and partly to the abnormal demand resulting from military activities.

Gains were recorded in imports of nearly all principal classes of chemicals and allied products, with exceptionally large advances in caustic soda which more than doubled, and in acetone which was nearly three times the amount imported in 1936. Other increases were made in shellac, rosin, other gums and resins, all acids, caustic potash, soda ash, sodium borate, cyanides, argols, potassium chloride and potassium sulphate, nickel sulphate, methanol, coal-tar products, casein, ultramarine blue, carbon black, varnishes, paints, printing ink, and phosphate rock.

In the export trade, increases were made in the majority of items, but the largest were in the shipments of soaps, toilet creams, hair oil,

perfumery, and dentifrices. Exports of caustic soda and soda ash recorded marked declines. Perhaps the outstanding characteristic of the export trade was the recovery in shipments of Japanese specialties, such as camphor, pyrethrum, and menthol to a combined total value of 25,761,000 yen in 1937, compared with 18,811,000 for 1936.

Leading Chemical Imports and Exports of Japan in 1937

[Qauntities in hundreds of kin (1 kin equals 1.322 pounds); values in thousands of yen (1 yen approximated $0.288 in 1937).]

[blocks in formation]

Imports of chemicals and allied products from the United States in 1936, the latest year for which details are available, were valued at 35,186,100 yen, an advance of 10,692,500 yen over 1935. The principal gains were in ammonium sulphate, dyes, coal-tar distillates, caustic soda, soda ash, potassium chloride, carbon black, rosin, and acetone. Declines were made in boric acid, sodium borate, and methanol. A rather large number of items contribute to this total, but only nine items were valued at over 1,000,000 yen-rosin, 4,427,000; sodium nitrate, crude, 2,376,800; sodium borate, 1,172,500; potassium chloride, 7,325,600; ammonium sulphate, crude, 6,757,500; coal-tar distillates, 1,564,800; miscellaneous chemicals and medicines, 2,055,100; and carbon black, 2,157,400.

Exports of chemicals to the United States in 1936 were valued at 15,204,600 yen, a very slight change from the 15,484,900 exported in 1935, but these figures exclude shipments of perilla oil which amounted to 14,866,083 yen (54,389,100 kin) in 1936. The principal changes in 1936 were increases in shipments of campor oil, vegetable wax, camphor, agar agar, and fertilizers; and declines in menthol crystals, pyrethrum, white arsenic, and matches.

Preliminary statistics for 1937 show only principal items by countries, and in the case of the United States are for only five commodities. Exports of the five items—glue, pyrethrum, camphor, menthol crystals, and matches-totaled 12,921,500 yen in 1937, compared with 8,071,457 in 1936. Imports of caustic soda and soda ash more than doubled, being 1,825,494 yen (27,941,700 kin), and phosphate rock increased from 5,498,714 yen to 7,760,093 yen (429,049,100 kin) in 1937, whereas receipts of sodium nitrate and coal-tar dyes were less, being valued at 438,122 and 1,932,011, respectively, yen in 1937.

PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

Trade Commissioner J. Bartlett Richards, Manila

The Philippine Islands continued to be an important chemical market in 1937, although imports fell off slightly from the 1936 figure. The United States continued to be the most important supplier. Some progress was made in the manufacture of chemical products. As reported previously, the company which was organized to manufacture perfumes and lotions in the Philippines started production at the beginning of 1937, importing its essences from France. Another substantial company started the manufacture of pomades and lotions during the year.

DOMESTIC PRODUCTION

Medicinal. By the end of 1937, the Bureau of Science was producing about 3,000 tablets daily of totaquina, averaging 71 percent quinine, 9.4 percent cinchonidine, and 6 percent quinidine. These tablets are distributed to the Army, the Bureau of Prisons and other Government organizations, and it is hoped that before long production will be sufficient for commercial distribution. The Bureau of Forestry claimed to have an ample supply of cinchona bark stored ready for

use.

Paint.-Domestic production of paint increased very substantially and may be expected to register a further increase in 1938. One of the smaller domestic manufacturers lost its plant by fire early in 1937 but installed a new plant with double the capacity of the old one. Another domestic manufacturer increased its facilities very substantially toward the end of the year, having been forced to run on double shifts during much of 1937 to keep pace with demand. Domestic production of ready-mixed paint is expected to increase as much as 50 percent in 1938.

Explosives.-A company was organized to manufacture dynamite and other explosives in the Philippines. There have also been proposals that the Government-owned National Development Co. set up a subsidiary to manufacture ammunitions and explosives, but so far no action has been taken along that line.

IMPORTS OF CHEMICALS AND ALLIED PRODUCTS

The value of imports of chemicals and allied products into the Philippines in 1937, including dyes, paints, toiletries, fertilizers, and industrial chemicals, but excluding a few other chemical products, amounted to 15,054,237 pesos, a slight decline from the 15,243,743 pesos for imports in 1936. Of this total, the United States supplied 65 percent in 1937, compared with 70 percent in 1936. The decline was in smaller receipts of fertilizers, since most other items increased.

« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »