Japanese Youths Of 25

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29989, 26 November 1962, Page 12

Japanese Youths Of 25

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Nov. 25. The 15 members of the Japanese youth good-will mission that reached Wellington tonight average 25 years of age. Yet they maintain the word youth is an apt description. “For in Japan," explained the party’s leader (Professor Tadashi Sato), “a youth means a person between 15 and 30.” Professor Sato, aged 47, is assistant professor of liberal arts at Tokyo University. He is the oldest in the mission and the youngest is 20. Japanese men below 30 did not wear hats, Professor Sato said . Consequently, none of the young men in the mission had hats.

But the four girls in the party wore uniform blue Western costumes when wel-

comed by the Japanese Ambassador (Mr Kaoru Hara). Chosen from all walks of life, the mission is the fourth Japanese Government sponsored team to visit Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. This party is endeavouring to meet as many New Zealanders as possible in its eight-day stay. Tomorrow the visitors will meet the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) After visiting thi South Island they will leave on December 3 to tour Australia. Indonesia and Singapore before returning to Japan.