Japanese Favours Asian Common Market

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30130, 14 May 1963, Page 15

Japanese Favours Asian Common Market

An Asian Common Market that included Japan and New Zealand among its members appealed to him, said Mr Chigeki Tashiro, the leader of the biggest Japanese trade mission to visit New Zealand since 1938, in Christchurch yesterday. Mr Tashiro said the implementation of such a plan would take time. He reached Christchurch from Mount Cook yesterday with 18 other members of a trade mission representing Japanese manufacturers of textiles, paper, optical instruments, automobiles, film, construction, heavy machinery, printing metals, typewriters and sewing-machines. Mr Tashiro said that the presence of the big Japanese trade mission in New Zealand could be a step forward towards the implementation of an Asian Common Market. “It is not easy to put unto action.” he said. “We (New Zealand and Japan) have to study to understand each others’ respective countries, circumstances, traditions and history. Such background we have to consider. The principle of an Asian Common Market appeals to me.” Mr Tashiro said Japan, at present, bought twice as much from New Zealand as New Zealand bought from Jaipan. Naturally Japan's wishes were for New Zealand to buy more finished articles from Japan.

“I don't mean 50-50,” said Mr Tashiro. “But I’d like the imbalance to be levelled

up a bit more.” He said that Japan had to offer what was needed to suit New Zealand’s tastes. In the mission’s week's exhausting visit to New Zealand, mission members had had some “frank talks” with many of the country’s leaders. They had . met the Prime Minister •Mr Holyoake), members of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, leaders in industry, leaders in Government circles and business. What was needed now, said Mr Tashiro, was for New Zealanders in private enterprise, such as businessmen and industrialists, to make a visit to Japan. A study-visit to Japan by New Zealand businessmen would help bring about more mutual understanding of the wants and needs of the two countries. This would be the first step to achieving greater trade harmony. Would Feel Safe “If your people come to Japan, then they will feel safe in importing essential goods from us,” Mr Tashiro said. “New Zealand will then be able to understand, how things can be worked out for the common good of the two countries.” The mission itself as a body, said Mr Tashiro, was not actually selling Japanese goods on this particular New Zealand trip. Different members of the • mission, however, had selling ideas. The goods that Japan would have available for export to New Zealand would naturally be manufactured goods because Japan herself had no raw manufacturing materials. A greater proportion of New Zealand’s essential import requirements coming from Japan would please him, he said. Japan did not have in mind selling technical know-how to New Zealand. Mr Tashiro is a director of the Japan Productivity Centre, a giant trade promotion organisation. He will make a special report of his New Zealand observations to the centre after his return to Japan this week. Asked how old he was, Mr Tashiro explained that by New Zealand’s method of assessing ages he was 72, but by Japanese methods of counting he was 74. “I was born on December 5 in 1890,” he said. “In Japan they count the year you are born in and every new year afterwards.”

Today, the Japanese trade mission will visit a Canterbury freezing works before leaving by air for Japan, by way of Australia tonight.