AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28265, 1 May 1957, Page 16

AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN

Closer Relations In Trade Forecast (N.Z. Press Association—. Copyright) (Rec. 9 p.m.) • CANBERRA, April 29. Closer trade relations between Japan and Australia, particularly on Japanese wool purchases, were indicated by Australia’s Prime Minister, Mr R. G. Menzies, today. He said that during his trip to Japan, some wool buyers had complained that they were limited in financing purchases by the extension of bank overdrafts. They also asked for a direct telecommunication link between Japan and Australia as it was necessary to give representatives in Australia instructions more than once a day. Mr Menzies said that both problems vzould be considered by the Government. Mr Menzies said he found the atmosphere in Japan “quite good.” “There is a very wide appreciation among their leading men of the attitude we have adopted. They realise Australia has good reason to adopt some other attitude. “They appreciate the fact that our policy has been to bring Japan back into the community of nations to the general advantage of peace and economic development.” He said he told business representatives that while Japan had balance of payment problems and had to find a great amount of overseas exchange, Australia had only herself recently begun to emerge from such a problem. Mr Menzies said his trip, which was to increase mutual understanding between the Japanese and Australian people, was successful.