JAPAN'S HINT

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4607, 9 October 1934, Page 2

JAPAN'S HINT

TRADE WITH AUSTRALIA.

DEMAND FOR WOOL

Sydney, September 22

Australia realises now more than ever it did before the value of the Japanese market to the producers of wool. One hesitates to think to what low level wool would have sunk this season had it not been for the strong competition from Japanese buyers, who, it is evident, have exceptionally large orders to fill. On this point some interesting information was given in Sydney this week by the Consul-General for Japan, Mr. Murai, in a speech in which he discussed Japanese trade with Australia and its future. He gave a broad hint that if Japan was to keep on buying its wool supplies from Australia, Australia

would have to reciprocate by taking

more Japanese goods

Mr. Murai said that 20 years ago Japan's wool consumption was 50,000,0001 b, but now it was nearly 250,000,0001 b. In 1945 it would probably be 400,000,0001 b. Attempts to produce wool in Japan by encouragingsheep breeding there had been made many times during the last 50 years, but each one had ended in failure, and for that reason Japan would have to buy practically all the wool it required in foreign markets. Australia had to remember that it could hot go on selling without buying from others. In spite of the remarkable expansion of the purchase of wool and wheat by Japan from Australia, which made the total exports from Australia rise to 200,000,000 yen, Japanese exports to the Commonwealth had not shown any sign of increase after having attained a level of 50,000,000 yen immediately after the World War.

"It is almost self-evident," said Mr. Murai, "that Japan is in need of developing her export trade in order to solve her population problem. According to Professor Uyeda's estimate the total working population of Japan, between 15 and 59 years of age will be increased by 10,000,000 in the course of 20 years from 1930 to 1950. The problem cannot be solved through such a negative measure as birth control. Its practical settlement is mipossible except by means either of emigration or of the expansion of the export of industry. The progress of the export from Japan to Australia has been far from satisfactory.

"An elimination of the present outlets for Australia's primary produce indicates that Australia will find it necessary to develop much closer relations with some countries outside the Empire. This can be done without prejudice towards the Mother Country. We believe that statesmen both in Australia and England will

face the problem with common sense, and the Japanese authorities and business men will not fail to respond in the same spirit of international co-operation.' '