Assurances By Mr Kishi On Japan’s Trade Policy

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28450, 3 December 1957, Page 23

Assurances By Mr Kishi On Japan’s Trade Policy

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, December 2. The Prime Minister of Japan (Mr Nobusuke Kishi), who is on a brief visit to New Zealand, said today that countries trading with Japan need have no fear that their markets would be flooded with cheap goods. Speaking at a: State luncheon given in his honour, Mr Kishi said that because of lack of understanding some countries were reluctant to trade with Japan. It was Japan’s aim, he said, to foster trade so that it would be of benefit to all those taking part. The Prime Minister (Mi' Holy-' oake) and the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nash) also spoke at the luncheon. Mr Kishi referred to New Zealand as a country with a standard of living second to none, and said the harmony between pakeha and Maori was a great example to the world, and reflected credit on the early settlers.

“We in Japan attach great importance to creating friendly relations with New Zealand, our neighbours in the Pacific, and believe that mutual understanding can be promoted by personal contact,” he said. It was his purpose to have a frank exchange of opinions with the country’s leaders. Today he had already had discussions with Mr Holyoake and his Ministers and with Mr Nash. Since World War 11, said Mr Kishi, the international situation had changed. Diplomacy could no longer be conducted in the interests of any one nation, and it was natural that countries of the same mind should co-operate to the fullest extent. Foreign Policy

Japan’s foreign policy had the aim of world peace, and it was attempting to pursue this througn friendly co-operation. Japan wanted the United Nations to become a strong organisation to fulfil its task of keeping the peace. He said that Japan, with experience of the effects of nuclear weapons, wanted to see that nuclear energy was used to benefit mankind and not for destruction. Japan would continue to press for the cessation of nuclear tests “We believe that the world’s

people cannot be secure without peace in Asia, and that cannot be brought about without promoting the economic prosperity of the new and independent countries of Asia,” said Mr Kishi. He thanked New Zealand for the contribution it was making to this aim. Mr Holyoake said that the sooner people appreciated that they were all of one world and interdependent, the sooner they would discover the secret of world peace. Over the years New Zealand’s relations with Japan had been both good and bad. “Once we were friends and allies, and on the other occasion we were enemies.” said Mr Holyoake. “I can say that it is the fervent wish and objective of New Zealanders that there should be no repetition of the occurrences of the past that would in any way generate ill-feeling between our two countries and bring about the holocaust that we saw only a few years ago.” Mr Holyoake said that New Zealand believed that ultimately it was trade, not aid, which would bring lasting prosperity and peace “We, of course, are determined to protect our manufacturing industries, just as Mr Kishi is concerned to protect his people. ’ added Mr Holyoake. These were considerations that must always be taken into account. Industrial Progress Mr Nash said he came “with some humility really” to support all that Mr Holyoake had said. Japan, with a population of 90,000,000, had big problems, but had made amazing progress, and was the only Asian country which had emulated or in some cases exceeded the productivity of the European countries. “They are an amazing people,” said Mr Nash. “They have done a lot of things that I think to be wrong, but I think we must take the Japanese people and their spokesmen at their word today.” He described Japan as the spearhead of development in raising living standards in underdeveloped countries “if they forget that dominating idea that was so prevalent.” New Zealand, he said, could not continue to live under present conditions while there were sc many millions in Asia living as they were. Living standards must be raised “to the extent that they are not always thinking of something to eat.” New Zealand wanted full employment, but without disintegrating this, would try to help Japan to attain full employment.