PROGRESSIVE JAPAN.

Cromwell Argus, Volume LXI, Issue 3162, 11 May 1931, Page 6

PROGRESSIVE JAPAN.

PURCHASE OF WOOL

OUTLET FOR NEW ZEALAND'S DAIRY PRODUCE. A prediction that Japan's interest in the New Zealand wool market would continue' and that the Japanese buyers would meet the market in the matter of price was made by Mr T. Uyeyama in an intervew with a "News" reporter recently. Mr Uycyama, who has represented the great firm of T. Kanematsu and Co., Ltd., Australia for some years, said that Japan has really been buying wool in New Zealand for between twenty-five and thirty years. Their buying this year had been due to the increased demand for crossbred wools and a favourable exchange. The tendency shown by Japanese manufacturers today was from fine stuff to crossbred or, in other words, from Australia to New Zealand. He could state positively that Japan would meet the market. "South Island wool is much more suitable for _ Japan's requirements than North Island wool," said Mr Uyeyama. "In fact, it is just what we require." He added that he thought that the wool offered in the Dominion might be better classed. Demand Increasing.

"Furthur than tin's," added Mr Uyeyama, "My country is making great progress commercially, particularly in the manufacture of woollen goods. The tendency in Japan is to wear more woollen underwear and we find also that wool is suitable for the manufacture of Japanese national garb. Then again many wear European clothes at business. Therefore, it is, I think, extremely unlikely that we shall need less wool and is probable that, since our people are beginning to appreciate the qualities of wool, we shall require more and more."

Cotton goods, said Mr Uyeyama, were now largely exported by the Japanese manufacturers. Trade Possibilities.

With the regard to the possibilities of trade betwen Japan and New Zealand, he said that in his opinion there was a great field open to New Zealand producers. Butter, cheese and meat, would find a ready sale in a country which required huge quantities of foodstuffs. His country was rapidly developing and its merchants were ■ anxious to develop and export and import trade. Fast cargo steamers were now being run between New Zealand, Australia and Japan by the O.S.K. line, and it was hoped that this service would assist the development of trade. Some reciprocity would be an excellent thing, and he considered that there was not much which the Dominion could buy from his country without competition with New Zealand products. The concern with which he was connected purchased in New Zealand wool, wheat and tallow and in their export department handled many lines of goods. Japanese merchants were paying a great deal of attention to the New Zealand market and only recently Japan had appointed a trade commissioner in Wellington. Education and Newspapers.

Much of Japan's progress, he said, was due to the introduction of modern methods and to education. More than 30,000 students graduated from the universities every year, As an instance of the progress achieved he remarked that the largest newspaper in Japan, published in Osaka, with morning and evening editions, had a circulation of 3,000,000 per day. This newspaper published different editions for the various quarters in the city, used a fleet of aeroplanes in its work, and employed wireless photography. Morning papers cost a id and evening papers a Jd. This great Osaka concern also controlled newspapers in Tokyo and altogether Mr Motoyama and' Mr Nurayama, who were the newspaper magnates of Japan, controlled the newspapers of half the country. Books and magazines were published cheaply, and as a result of the increase in education, were widely circulated and read. Good translations of Shakespeare could be obtained at a very low price. Although business in Japan was not in a very healthy state there was not a great deal of unemployment.

Nevertheless it was not possible for all university graduates to obtain positions in keeping with their education and some were policemen. Still education served a useful purpose in enlightening the people and in enabling them to take an intelligent jnterest in the affairs of their country. Mr Uyeyama expressed himself as delighted with New Zealand and its tourist resorts, particularly Queenstown. He admired Invercargill's wide streets, remarking that those who had laid the city out had had in mind its future development. In many of the bigger cities of Australia this course had not been adopted and the inconvenience of a haphazard design was now apparent. Queen's Park also impressed him with its wide areas and the opportunity provided for healthful recreation.

Mr Uyeyama leaves shortly for Australia and will, soon after, return to Japan. After two months at home he leaves for South America.