A VISITOR FROM JAPAN

Hokitika Guardian, 5 August 1921, Page 4

A VISITOR FROM JAPAN

SUGGESTED PEOPLING OF THE NORTH. JAPANESE FARMERS. RENEWAL OF ALLIANCE. SYDNEY, July 23 A popular lip;arc in journalistic circles in Japan, and a member of the Japanese Government . Finance and Economic Commission, Mr Kadono, who with his wife is visiting this Slate, expressed the opinion yesterday that there were splendid opportunities for an expansion uf trade between Japan and Australia. .Mis Kadono is the daughter ol Raron Megata, Japan’s delegate at the League of Nations Convention at Geneva last Christmas.

The financial depression, Mi - Kadono said, began in March last year, and, as in most countries. Japan's trade was now stagnant. Japan had, however, settled down to the depression which, he predicted, would last tor some time, probably two years. Notwithstanding trade slackness, Japan was taking a huge quantity of high-grade Australian wool. Every steamer for Japan was loaded to its fullest capacity with wool —"a rather novel thing nowadays, commented Mr Kadono.

Tim I rttile in heavy woollen materials, he went on to say, was restricted. All the mills were filled with clothes and low-grade wools, obtained during the wool control period, and the outlook was gloomy. On the other hand, the demand for light materials was good. Half the population ol Japan, comprising the womenfolk, were the users, while only a small section ol the people, consisting of about .“>.000,(100 men and boys, who wore European clot lies, required heavy woollen goods. Rut whether Iter trade he good or bad Japan came upon the Aitstinlinn and New Zealand markets tor her wool. Refine the war, Mr Kadono explained.

Australia’s exports to Japan were greatly in excess ol Iter imports Iron l Japan, but while the war was in pro gross the position was reversed lor a

while. Since the war ended the trad*' relations had gone hack to pro-wai standard. To some extent he regarded tiiis ns natural, Australia being a great producer of raw materials, and Japan more or less a mnnuiacttiritig coitnti,.. Mr Kadono would like to see the trade better balanced, and said that he nlteriCted the belief that Australia might vet become good customers ol Japan. The benefits that would follow, he considered, would he mutual. Me quit,, frankly admitted that some goods shipped from Japan to Australia and Now Zealand during the war were ‘‘awful,” and diflerout trout sample. He characterised this action by traders as foolish and short-sighted. So much had been made of this grievance in commercial circles that there was good ground for believing, he added, that his countrymen had taken the lesson to heart, and were prepared to mend their ways. The presence of a commercial reprosi• ml:i(i\ i* of Japan in Australia was. Mi Kadono said, ittst as necessary its Mi

Suitor’s representation of Australia's interests in the East. The Consul, Mr Tamnki. w:is fully occupied with consular duties. Mr Kadono was miieJi impressed with the cnoimoiis possibilities ami resources ol Australia. I ravelling by train between one Stale and another had enabled him to torm tit*' most favourable view ot the iarin and grazing lands, and the scenic beauties. "I have never seen anything like it,” he exclaimed. ‘‘The green fields., tin* herds, and the llocks—-all these things charmed my wife and me, for it is all so different front what we have been used to.’

Referring to the Anglo-Japaneso alliance, Mr Kadono said lie believed this would be renewed. All lovers ol peace, even though they were not Rritish or Japanese, should he lor it. Even without it ill*' Japanese people were, be said, verv pro-Rritish. l'liey admired the Rritistli character, individual and uatiott il. This was Japan's sentiment in a nutshell, it ml what could there he ii uiv binding than .sentiment '? he asked.

Mr Kadono said that since his arri- i val the advisability of permitting a . limited number ol good type of Japan- s esc farmers to settle in the far north of j Australia, where it was thought tropical fruits could he grown, and where Australians were scarcely likely to settle, had been suggested to him. He had given a good deal of thought to this matter. It would, he thought, eertainlv aid development, and without desiring to express a definite view, he felt that such a scheme could lie amicably worked by bringing out a number uf suitable farmers on, say, a 30 ..ears agreement. If at the end of that period they had made good they could have their leases renewed lor 30 years mure. In that way it would be possible to see what the northern areas were capable of producing, and what typo of immigrants the Japanese made. Mr Kadono. -who is associated with the Tokio newspaper. “The dm,” and Hie firm of Ok lira and Co. (.who have a branch in Sydney), sails with doiio for Japan next week, alter .bavin r spent seven weeks in Utsfalta.