AUSTRALIA IN JAPANESE EYES

Evening Star, Issue 12162, 5 April 1904, Page 7

AUSTRALIA IN JAPANESE EYES

KEEN INTEREST IN THE- COMMONWEALTH. TRADE POSSIBILITIES. In a letter from our special war cos respondent, sent from Tokio on February 23, he says:— During my brief stay in Tokio the fact has forced itself upon my mind by repeated inquiries made of me by eminent- Japanese tint Australia is beginning to loom much larger and much more favorably in the Japans.se eye than heretofore. A< traders and commercial men generally, the Japanese and Chinese "perhaps rank as the foremost shopkeepers of the world, and it is'only natural that where they &ee an avenue for "increased profit they hasten to take advantage of it. That appears to be the case now with regard to Australia, and what the missionaries call "the spirit of inquiry" seems to be taking possession of the nation. INQUIRIES ABOUT AUSTRALIA. Immediately a political or commercial Jap ascertains that one comes from Australia his fired with an iuquisitiveness that almost upsets one's aplomb, and completely exhausts one's patience. He wants to "know everything, from the progress of the birthrate to-the name of the most notorious politician, and if one happens to murmur the name of O'Sullivan he promptly assails vou with the query "Is he Japanese?" He asks that because of the innumerable names in Japanese prefaced by capital O's, and he seems somewhat disappointed to find that O Sullivan is a name that smacks of Ireland rather than of the land of the rising sun. If New South Wa'.es desires to conduct an exchange in Ministers of Works, however, no doubt one could be arranged with Japan The fact that Tokio has in hand the construction of a huge central railway station might be some inducement for Mr O'Puilivan to turn his footsteps this way He ought to think about it, at all events; but perhaps they wouldn't allow him to land, for the one thing the Japanese have against Australia is the Alien Restriction Act They cannot comprehend why it is that thev. allies of Great Britain, and the most progressive of all Orientals, should be refused admits tance to a British possession, and one ?o sadly in need of development, and agrarian development in particular. It is useless to argue with them, and it looks verv much as if that Act is going to jeopardise trade between the two countries more than anything else. J ° A CHANCE FOR TRADE. '

A certain amount of commerce will always be done, because there is in a way a natural channel between the two places, but it is certain there would be a greater exchange, of products if the Alien Restriction Act was modified and made to press less harshly upon the Japanese. The people here are not so bitter now against Australia as they' were some time ago, that being due to the kindness shown the section of "the navy which recently visited! the Commonwealth, and also the sympathetic attitude of Australia at the present moment during the progress of the war; and whilst Japan is more favorably disposed towards Australia, then is the time for the merchants to push forward their goods. Produce and tinned food of all descriptions, especially meat, is wanted in large quantities, though the demand for produce, compressed for choice, is simply enormous. Unfortunately the Japanese will not buy unless they have a sample, and since there are few samples here, Australia is going to suffer. The Australian merchant will have to adopt the tactics of his American brother. He will have to hustle and get his wares right under the noses of his possible buyers. "What is your motto?" asked an American employer of a boy he was desirous of engaging once. " Something like yours, sir," he replied, pointing to the door. "Cultivate hide, and label your door 'push.'" That should be the motto of all Australians in this part of the world in particular. If it is not, they will stand a big chance of being ousted by the pushing men of other nations, who are ever on the alert to open up fresh markets. There are numerous products grown and manufactured in Australia which would find a ready market in Japan and China, and all that is needed is the men to push them. For cereals, compressed fodder, and some minerals in particular there is a vast market, and all it wants to secure orders is a display of good samples and shipment of stuff up to the samples exhibited. It is no use attempting to palm off goods not up to sample standard. To do that would bo to utterly ruin every prospect of trade. Show the JsfP- or the Chinaman a good-quality article/and sell him everything up to what you show him, and he will buy.from you as long as you like to trade with "him, but take him in and he is done with you, and will generally engineer a boycott against you. Australia should now open her eyes to the potentialities of the market offering here, and should above all things determine to hustle.