JAPAN AND N.Z.

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 140, 11 December 1930, Page 10

JAPAN AND N.Z.

CONSUL'S VISIT

TEADE AND TOUEISTS

INTERESTING INTERVIEW

The Consul-General of Japan for Australia and New Zealand, Mr. Kojiro Inoue, arrived in Wellington this morning from Auckland.

He will stay here a couple of days while paying his respects to the Government, and will subsequently visit Christchurch and Dunedin before returning to Auckland in. time to catch the boat on. 24th December for Sydney, his headquarters.

This is Mr. laoue's first visit to the Dominion since his appointment a year ago, and what little he has seen of the country so far has more than favourably impressed him. It bears a certain resemblance in parts to his own country, he remarked this morning to a "Post" representative. Some day, ho said, perhaps more tourists from New Zealand would visit Japan. At present the visitors were mostly Americans, but now that there was a direct service from Australia, fast motor boats taking 12 to 14 days from Brisbane to Yokohama, there might be an. increase in tourist traffic from this part of the world. April was the gay time of year in Japan, the month of the cherry blossom. November was the quiet autumn season, "But at that time the coloured maple leaves made the mountains an unforgettable sight. "We in Japan, do all possible to encourage the tourist traffic," said Mr. Inoue, "for it is only by mutual contact between different people that full understanding! of each other is arrived at." BOGEY OF EXPANSION. Mr. Inoue was quite outspoken about what he termed the nonsense published in some quarters about Japan's eyes being on the vacant spaces in the world. "No history," he said, "can. show aj case of a country solving its problems by settling its peoples overseas. The solution to our problems lies in industrialisation of the country. Japan has made, and is making, great strides in industry, and by increasing its industries can absorb the increase in population. This increase is at- about the rate of 750,000 a year. What good, therefore, is it to send abroad, say, 10,000 a year?"

Japan, he added, was suffering at the present time Hke the rest of the world, from, industrial depression. There were, however, only about 300,000 unemployed, which was not a big percentage compared with some other countries. "But in Japan," he explained, "the family is the centre of the national life. Hence, when a man is out of work, he does not go crying to the Government for a job. As a matter of course, his brother, uncle, nephew, or some other' relative looks after him until work ia again found." There was a fair amount of unemployment, added the Consul-Gen-eral, among the educated men leaving the Universities. Only between 30 and 40 per cent, of them could find suitable work within the first year after leaving, so there was a tendency now towards a shorter and more practical technical education. Quite a large number of Japanese students finished their studies abroad, although education in Japan was on a very high level. Short shrift, explained Mr. Inoue, was given students at the Universities who developed Communistic or ultra-radical or ultra-radical ideas.

On the question of trade between Japan and New Zealand, which it is part of his mission to foster, Mr. Inoue had some observations to make. It was a matter of reciprocity, he said. At present Japan bought about £400,000 worth of goods annually from New Zealand, and New Zealand bought between £500,000 and £600,000 worth from Japan, so the balance of trade was rather in favour of Japan. What Japan chiefly bought from the Dominion was wool and pastoral products; her exports to New Zealand were silk and fancy goods. More than half the trade was in wool and silk. The consumption of wool was increasing in Japan, about 80 per cent, coming from Australia. He saw no reason why more should not be bought from New Zealand, especially as the fine crossbred wool grown here_ was being used more and more. Merino used to be the only wool wanted, but other kinds were now in demand.

Mr. Inouo said that there was not much chance of Japan taking moye butter. The consumption of butter in Japan was not large and was confined to the cities. In the country districts rice was the main article of food. "So, until you can educate the Japanese farmer to eat bread," concluded "the Consul-General, "you cannot expect him to cat your butter."