A JAPANESE JOURNALIST

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6176, 6 April 1907, Page 4

A JAPANESE JOURNALIST

TOURING THE WORLD. JAPAN’S COMMERCE. ‘‘N. Nakamura, correspondent, Japan, exploring the world.” This card was presented yesterday by a smart-looking, khaki-clad Japanese, who, in showing his credentials, endorsed by a prominent member of ibe House of Peers, Tokio, remarked that bis arrival in New Zealand completed thing like 90.>00 miles. Air Nakamura left Japan six years ago on a tour round the world, combining journalistic correspondence with inquiries into the commercial and industrial conditions of tho countries ho visits. Our visitor has perhaps seen more of tho world than most pcoiilc. Leaving Tokio in 1901, he went through Korea, North and South China, Siam, Java, India. Persia, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Prance, England, Scotland, Egypt, Algeria. Spain, Portugal. South Africa, InniiCf) ’back by way of the Bed Sea to Jfranco, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Servia, Bulgaria, Ron mania, Russia, oweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Belgium. Returning to London, he crowd tho Atlantic, visiting iho. principal cities of Canada and tho United States, then going an to Mexico, Guatemala, Sun Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chili, Argentine. Para, guay, Uruguay, Brazil,, Venezuela, West Indira, Cuba, back to tho United States, thenco to tho Hawaiian Island and New Zealand. Ho is now on his way to Australia, visiting tho Philip* pines cu route homewards. Air Nakamura produced an interesting souvenir of his tour, in the form of a book bearing the seal of tho principal municipalities he has visited and tho signatures of Governors, Deputy-Governors, and Alayors of countries ho has passed through. Naturally, as a much travelled man, Air Nakamura lias much of interest to relate, and ho appears to have been a closo observ'd*. Asked as to how his countrymen were prospering in countries to which they had emigrated, ho said there wero now many Japanese in North America, o" the Pacific side— California, Oregon, Washington. State, and Texas, whilst there wero also a great many in Canada, particularly on railway construction works between Canada and tho United States. The Japanese .adapted themselves to all kinds of work, from factory to farming work, and Ibcy wero numerous on the rico-farms in Texas. There wero many of them, too, in Peru. Whilst tho Government of Japan did nob encourage the departure of its inhabitants to abhor p r rts, there was, said Air Nakamura, the same feeling in tho Japanese as there was in the Briton—to go ahead in the making of money, and if tile Japanese could not do this at homo, he looked further afield, where there was an opening for his labour. Japan believed in the open door policy. It had opened its doors to the European nations, and looked for similar treatment for its people when they wont abroad. Japan, like other nations, was looking for tho best markets and tho most profitable lines of commerce. Ho scouted tho .suspicion with which Japan’s expansion was regarded. if other nations studied Japan as Japan was studying Western nations, there would never be any talk of the Japanese peril. There was room enough for all. Japan had no desire for a closed door in her own country. Retaliation was the only thing that would over induce Japan to close any door. Japan had studied the policy of England, and found it tho wisest and tho best. Tho closed door and unroasum bio restrictions on immigration were out-of-dato idea - ? in these days of advancement and progress. In pur. suanco of her policy of trade, expansion, and commercial relationship with tho rest of the world, Japan had*now a largo commercial fleet. It was only natural to think thnt.rho regarded an adequate* navy necessary to protect her large and growing commerce. Japan’s navy was not, said Air Nakamura, intended for annexation any more than waj tho great navy of England. and she recognised that the best security in tho world for peace was a navy strong enough to take care of its countiy. It was a great mistake to regard Japan as an aggressive eouutry, for she had never been an aggressor. Above all things, Japan desired to bo friendly with all nations. England .understood Japan, and recognised the full value of tho world policy cf Japan. This, after all, was simply n counterpart of tho English policy of fair play, and the Japanese loved that sense of fair play.