AN EASTERN VISITOR

Southland Times, Issue 19389, 1 November 1924, Page 6

AN EASTERN VISITOR

NOTED JAPANESE EVANGELIST REV. KANAMORI IN TOWN Interesting observations, from the Japanese point of view, in respect to the recent rupture between the United States of America and Japan over the former nation’s attitude regarding the exclusion of Japanese from the States, was made to a representative of the Southland Times who waited upon the Rev. Paul Kanamori, a wellknown Japanese Evangelist, with a worldwide reputation, who arrived in Invercargill yesterday afternoon by the train from Dunedin in order to give some addresses here to-morrow. Mr Kanamori is a noted Japanese and English scholar, and during his lifetime has done a great deal for his own country, particularly in the realms of education and culture generally, but it is as a revivalist and religious preacher that he is better known. In order to carry out the latter work he has travelled extensively in years past in many countries, and it was in March last that he left his native shores for the purpose of undertaking a world tour. He arrived in Auckland some five months after visiting several portions of Australia, and during that time he has been preaching the Gospel and at the same time telling his audience something of the land of the Rising Sun and the conditions which to-day exist there. THE EXCLUSION LAW. In response to a request for an expression of opinion as to-the Japanese attitude towards America concerning the exclusion of Japanese from that country, Mr Kanamori explained that first and foremost it was a question of national honour with the Japanese people. Some 70 years ago, in 1854, to be exact, the United States had made representations to Japan to become friendly, and though at first the request had been refused, ultimately Japan had agreed to do so. That state of affairs, continued the speaker, existed for the past 70 years, but now the Americans wished to exclude them altogether, because they belong to the Yellow race. “That is their principal reason,” he said, “for wishing to deny us the right of entry in the same way as representatives of European nations, but the fact that the Japanese can compete so successfully in the labour world with American and other workers is responsible for a good deal of the agitation that has been going on. Though the material aspect of the case does not worry the Japanese mind to any great extent—they have ample space and resources to retain them in their own country—the insult to Japan’s honour is keenly felt, and , it is for that reason that the whole nation , is enraged at the action of the States in excluding our countrymen. You may say that we bear a similar attitude towards your own country for not permitting Japanese immigrants to land here, but I can assure you that that is not so, for the reason that you have never invited us to come here and until that is done we have no wish to intrude. Consequently we have nothing but the greatest good will and respect for your country, as indeed we have for the whole of the British Empire, and in passing I may be permitted to mention that your nation and my own can never be separated from the cordial relations which at present exist. And furthermore I am hopeful that in the near future Japan will more and more turn to Australia and New Zealand for her food supplies aq/i other articles which are required for our people, more particularly wheat and wool. Japan is rapidly becoming a manufacturing country, industries are springing up everywhere; in fact farmers are leaving the land and coming into the cities to engage in industrial pursuits. That being so we are being forced to look further afield for our supplies and what better source of supply could we have than Australia and New Zealand. My opinion is that within a very few years the volume of trade will have increased considerably and that Japan will be a large purchaser of your meat and dairy produce. To give' you some idea of the excessive charges which have to be met by the consumer at the present time in Japan, it is sufficient for me to mention that good beef in Tokio costs from 2/- to 3/- per lb, so you can see that there is a ready market available for cheaper produce. A DEMOCRATIC SPIRIT. “Another point that may be of interest,” said Mr Kanamori, “is the fact that the military party, which was strongly in evidence in Japanese affairs a little while ago, is fast losing its hold over the people, who are becoming more democratic, so much so that I am rather afraid they are going to the other extreme, as strikes are very prevalent, and the labour people appear to be getting a much stronger hold than they had formerly.” “In the course of my travels I have found that there is an impression on the minds of many people that Japan is an aggressive country and one that is always out to provoke trouble,” remarked the visitor, “but if you look through the history of our nation you will find that in twenty-six centuries we have only been the aggressor on one occasion, and that in all other cases where hostilities have broken out we have had to do so in self-defence.” Mr Kanamori will remain in Invercargill until next Monday afternoon when he proceeds to Gore, and subsequently Yo Timaru and Wellington, where he joins a steamer for Australia. During his stay in Invercargill he is to give three addresses to-morrow, in the morning speaking at St. Andrew’s Church, in the .afternoon at the Y.M.C.A., and in the evening at St Paul’s Church.