KEEN RIVALRY BETWEEN ATOM BOMBED CITIES TOURIST ATTRACTION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23021, 11 August 1949, Page 4

KEEN RIVALRY BETWEEN ATOM BOMBED CITIES TOURIST ATTRACTION

j Spirited rivalry goes on between j tiic two atom bombed t-ilies of Hiroshima and Xgasaki. Each wrangles j over which has a greater claim for | attention in respect of both damage | and the progress of rebuilding and j reconstruction. This has become I particularly noticeable among Japj anese civic authorities in their | ciforts to attract tourist traffic. | Such was the impression left on Warj rant_ Officer L. F. Hunt, a member of the instructional staff of the Technical Trades Training Centre to 8.C.0.F. in Tokyo, which was disbanded with the i withdrawal and reduction of the Commonwealth forces. Warrant Officer Hunt has been visitins friends in Gisborne, where he spent his youth. He has been in Japan for two and a half years. When he paid his first visit to Hiroshima there was hardly a building standing. Today a modern rebuilt city is flourishing and prospering, particularly from substantial ship-building at the Mitsu Bishi dockyards. The rebuilding of the city has been accomplished with remarkable speed and heavy industries have sprung up everywhere. These include the manufacture of automobiles. Aid to Rehabilitation The centre had played a big part in training personnel from the forces. Speaking of New Zealanders, he said that many had had no training beforehand and on finishing their courses at the centre they were well fitted for sound avenues of employment, thus aiding their rehabilitation.

Troops had profited from their periods of service in Japan and if force’s from the Commonwealth countries were again required h e thought that there would be no difficulty in obtaining them. Japan was a popular country, the facilities and assistance provided troops being splendid. The standard of education in Japan, he said, was very high, with lads generally staying at college until 20 years of age and taking a variety of advanced subjects.

Great Cry For Food

Only one-eighth of the country was arable and the great cry in Japan today was for food. He had seen many deaths from starvation before leaving Tokyo.