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Show AMERICAN CARS USED IN JAPAN For a country which is aping western methods and prides ltseli on Its progressive spirit Japan Is not yet muf b of an automobile center There are only about 800 cars In th? whole of Japan, but most of the eome from the Cnited States, showing show-ing that here at least is one foreign country that the Americans hao not been 6low to Invade. Because of poor roads and high prices charged for cars the present outlook for a better! Japanese trade Is not brisk. But If Japan proceeds along tho lines of j building good roads, which will he I tbe natural outcome of a consistent j imitation of th methods of other countries, the market should Improve. A writer In a French paper die cussing the fact that only about 6 Per cent of the cars used in Japan are of French manufacture, says that the French ought to take a more active ac-tive part in the struggle for Japanese Japa-nese trade What this writer says, aa translated for the Literary Digest. Is as follows- "The 300 automobiles in use In Japan Ja-pan may seem a very small number for a country whose area is nearly four-fifths that of France and whose Inhabitants pride themselves more and more on competing with European Euro-pean nations, and even surpassing 'hern, in the paths of Industrial progress. prog-ress. There are two reasons for this inferiority; in tho first place, it is Proper to note that the price of automobiles au-tomobiles in Japan Is too high for the use of these vehicles to spread rapidity, in the second place, the condition of the roads in most of the provinces leavos much to he desired But althought at present uncertain the future of the automobile Industry' there is always susceptible of development devel-opment if some day tho Japanese de cide to imitate Europeans in their mania for touring, so that it will become, be-come, easier to ro on wheels through all parts of the empire "For the reasons Just Indicated the low priced cars seem to be (bo most sought of whatever type. I" the first rank anions rhe producing countries Is the United BtStei Thus Of 100 automobiles Imported by Japan during dur-ing the car mil 67 came front ibe United Stales Vi came (icrnian and England, the lirst with II cars. the second with i" The remaining cars wero furnished by France "It Is evident that our country, where mechanical locomotion has reached a stigf. of development won known to all, R not taking In this economic competition a place worthv of It It Is to be hoped thai our builders will seek to assure a more considerable- output of their produclt for this market " |