Show JAPANESE TOOK MANY FORWARD 1 IN 1 1925 Manhood Suffrage Added Some Ten Million N New ew Voters for 1926 By MILES W. W VAUGHN TOKIO Jan 2 United Press Japan faces 1926 with confidence the the empire is well on its way to toward toward toward to- to ward consolidation of its place among the great powers of the world Many of the difficult problems problems lems ems the nation faced with the be beginning beginning beginning be- be ginning of the present year already have been solved or or are well on their wa way toward solution T The Te e others are dire not of sufficient Import anco ance to cause great worry The year ear 1925 has been a critical one in the nations nation's history The greatest step in advancement of the cause of liberalism since the emperor 1 thrust Japan into her place in the society of nations was made early In the year ear in en enactment enactment enactment en- en o of the manhood suffrage bill by the diet last l MarcI In one swoop parliament made some 10 new Japanese voters grantIng granting granting grant grant- ing the franchise to all Independent men over 30 years cars of age These new voters will sill Ill cast their first ballots ballots ballots bal bal- lots in the next general election which may come early in 1926 A radical step also was taken Inthe in inthe inthe the signing of the Russo-Japanese Russo treaty in Peking January 20 By this treaty Japan granted Russia lull uIl diplomatic and consular consular- consular recognition and prepared for an immediate immediate immediate imme imme- diate resumption of complete rela rela- CHINA CAUSES TROUBLE China furnished the chief source or of irritation in international relatIons relatiOns relations rela rela- during the year ear with sith the foreign anti-foreign riots duts in Shanghai In June as result of cf a astrike astrike astrike strike in a Japanese owned wm d cotton cottonmill mill null the Chinese situation took a major part of the tim time of the tle Tokio foreign office through the remaining remaining remain remain- ing months of the year Tiie he Japanese Japanese Japanese Jap Jap- anese policy polley of and extreme measures to win the friendship friendship friend friend- ship of f China soon became apparent and did much to overcome the bitter bitter bitter bit bit- ter hostility all Chinese have felt toward this country since presentation presenta presenta- tion of the notorious one de de- de mands U This policy also was firmly followed followed fol tot lowed during durin- the Peking customs conference J Japan pan taking a leading part art in aiding China In her fight for custom autonomy I RELATIONS FRIENDLY FRIEJ The end of the the year finds Ameri Amen Japanese can-Japanese relations the most satisfactory of any time since the enacting of the exclusion law by bythe bythe bythe the Washington congress No major major major ma ma- jor points are under negotiation and no serious clouds on the horizon Charles MacVeagh l new American ambassador assumed his duties in December succeeding Edgar A. A Bancroft who died suddenly in a Japanese summer reSort re- re sort cort last July The Imperial famil family also had a most happy year crowned with the birth of the first child of the prince regent and his consort on December 6 The Impaired health of the emperor emperor emperor em em- showed little change and there is hope for his recovery t An t tv Adverse v de balance of more than yen has been de decreased decreased de- de creased ed considerably yen exchange on the dollar has Improved following following follow follow- ing In- Inthe the governments government's action in be beginning beginning be- be ginning the export of gold t to the States and there has been beena A a general healthy consolidation In Inthe inthe P the Internal economic situation BIG RICE CROP The rice crop of 1925 was the best bestIn bestin bestin in years and the food supply Of the nation for the next year ear seems as- as fumed despite the alarming in increase increase increase in- in crease in the birth rate rate sone some during the tho year The year witnessed the usual number of disasters for which Japan bas has become widely known since the great earthquake of oC 1923 Losses from natural disasters probably were more than one billion yen More than people were killed and property damaged upwards of yen in an earthquake which razed three villages In the oka district In western Japan Ja pan in the spring Some pe people were vere drowned and huge property damage caused by floods in Korea and Formosa Thousands of houses were Inundated in Tokio and Osaka in the late summer The Imperial parliament burned In Tokio in m the fall falI with a loss of some ome millions of yen while other disastrous fires occurred In the capital capital capital cap cap- I ital and provincial cities I |