THE Imperial Japanese Society for Saving Life from Shipwreck (Dainippon Teikoku Suinam Kiusai Kwai) was established in 1879, but was not incorporated by Imperial Charter until 1899. At the present time the Society has 17 stations on the coast of Japan fully provided with Life-boats and life-saving apparatus, the boats being manned by volunteer crews.

In 1899 the Society was instrumental in saving 1,211 lives and 269 vessels, the value of the property saved being esti- mated at 55,0002. The Society is mainly supported by voluntary contributions, but it also receives a subsidy from Govern- ment. The management are now making strenuous efforts to largely augment the income of the Society, as they are anxious not only to increase the efficiency of the existing Life-boat stations, but also, as soon as possible, to establish many new ones. The Japanese Imperial Mercantile Marine Bureau, in their last official report, stated that in 1898 there were, on the coast of Japan, 2,564 cases of shipwreck in connection with registered vessels alone, but that casualties to unregistered vessels and fishing-boats were "innumerable.".