TRADING IN JAPAN

Chronicle (Levin), 24 April 1946, Page 7

TRADING IN JAPAN

EASY MONEY FOR NEW ZEALAND^IlS Tliough he uescribes "la^ap. as . "a land of poverty, pcstilence, prostitution and disease," a Ne\V Zealand ,airman iinds it a place of' many beauty spots. When he wrotc tb a Ncw' Plymoutli friend from the 'Roy'ai New Zealand Air Force headqiiarters" at Iwakuue on March 26,- the^ climate ,.was good, very imuicln like th'ati af W'elling-" tbn. The seenery reminded him of Nefy Zealand and the- Inland, Sea ' reealled Wellington harbour. , ■

New Zealanders witli an eye -to business lia,ve their opportunities. "The people are very jioor and the eifects of inllation are strakiug," the airman writes. "We can sell anything at terriiic prices. Our cigarettcs in packets of 20 bring from 20 to 30 yeii and as the yeu is worth 5d, we can get neafly 10s for a packet. Chocolate, soap, matclic3, and any kind of food briiig fabulous xirices. Our pound' iS worth 48 yen and yet most of us have hundieds of yen in our pockets aftcr coming off the ship with xiracticaily nothing. " Inflation cuts both ways 'for the oecuXiatiou troops, howevcr. Those in search of souvenirs fiud that marveilous " silks, x^ua-rls, and lacquer work are to be had in quantity, but at a price that is very far above their resoufces. Aloney is easy come by for the New Zealanders, however. Enough beer for their needs is issued from the occupation force store, but Japauese beer is admitted to be good — like Jager tliough pe'rhaps a little more gassv and with more chemicals in it. "In canip oh issue day you can buy loads of it, " the New Zcalauder says. "It costs -i yen a bottle and when you takc the bbttle back you get 2. 50 yen returned. So if you buy a pncket of cigarettcs for 6d, sell tliem for 20 yeu, buy iive bottles of beer with the moiley and get 12.50 yen for the bottles, you are really 'getting jiaid".' to drink beer — a very good set up. "