Japanese Reporters Begin Big Campaign

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 782, 1 October 1929, Page 1

Japanese Reporters Begin Big Campaign

PAPER’S ANNIVERSARY TOUR OF NEW ZEALAND At least one Japanese newspaper has chosen a practical and interesting way of commemorating the 50th year of its foundation. The “Osaka Asahi,” of Japan, is marking its jubilee by sending reporters to every country in which the exploitation of national trade is desired. rpHE anniversary was celebrated a month or two ago and one of the seven staff correspondents now touring the world is Mr. T. Yobe, who was assigned to Australia and New Zealand. He has “covered” Australia to his satisfaction and arrived this morning on the Ulimaroa to spend a few weeks in New Zealand. With Mr. Yobe—an alert and faultlessly dressed little Japanese with a good knowledge of English and a thorough grasp of his nation’s affairs —is Mr. K. Honda, of the Kumamoto Government Poultry Farm. It appears that Japan’s poultry Industry is not all it should he; hence Mr. Honda’s tour of observation and inspection. “Japan wants to encourage poultryraising, which is.-in its infancy, and I have been sent out to get new ideas,” Mr. Honda explained to The Sun. “I purchased a fairly large number of birds in Australia and these are being dispatched at once to Japan. I will not be buying any in New Zealand, but (I want to study your methods.’ Few, if any, Japanese , newspapermen have travelled previously to New Zealand in search of “copy,” so, in a sense, Mr. Yobe is a novel visitor. He realises this to the fullest and is most anxious to repeat in New Zealand his Australian success. “While in Australia I saw the Prime Minister, Mr. Bruce, and other high officials,” he said. “I hope to interview the Prime Minister of New Zealand and to secure data about your country, its people and its resources. SERIES OF ARTICLES “I will embody my observations in a series of articles for the “Osaka Asahi.” Most of all I want to learn of the New Zealand people and thus be able to tell our people about them. Japan wishes to extend trade —at present we are not satisfied with the volume of trade passing between the two countries. But the people of New Zealand do not know the Japanese and the Japanese do not know them. Before trade develops there must be understanding and sympathy.” Africa,! I South America, Siam, French possessions in the East, the Philippine Islands and Singapore are among the countries at present being visited and examined by the staff men of the great Japanese journal.