JAPAN'S MESSAGE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 198, 24 August 1935, Page 10

JAPAN'S MESSAGE

SEEKS GOODWILL WITH N.Z. INTERESTS CLOSELY INTERWOVEN. RECIPROCITY' OF TRADE. UNITY FOR PEACE OF THE WORLD. ( Per Press Association. ) WELLINGTON, Aug. 23. The Japanese goodwill mission returned to Wellington to-day after visiting Auckland, Hamilton and Rotorua. The delegation, which is headed by His Excellency, Mr. Katsuji Debuchi, leave for the South Island to-night. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Sir Alexander Young, will accompany them. Goodwill greetings from Japan were conveyed to the business people of Wellington by Mr. Katsuji Debuchi, Ambassador Extraordinary and personal representative of the Emperor of .Japan, at a luncheon given by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce to-cEiy. Mr. Debuchi referred to a new era of Pacific trade and expressed u hope that Japan and New Zealand would work hand in hand for peace and prosperity in the future. There had never been any economic basis of rivalry between New Zealand and Japan. The complementary nature of the exports of each country had made their economic interests reciprocal, and expansion of trade between them meant ■further mutual progress and prosperity. New Zealand and Japan could come closer together in an endeavour to study more intimately each other’s trade characteristics, markets and potentialities. Japan would welcome more New Zealand trade representatives so that they could see for themselves that Japan, in order to exist, must industrialise and export. She was almost devoid of raw materials and must therefore import, and the fundamental basis of business motivation in modern Japan was .no other than to sell and buy, and buy and sell. Lack of raw materials made Japan almost completely dependent on outside sources. She would have to increase her imports to cope with an increase in population, and those imports would be raw materials. Japan wanted New Zealand hides, skins and wool, and the demand for foodstuffs, such as meat, was increasing. In those fields New Zealand pected New Zealand to study the possibilities for development of her exports to Japan, and, in return, Japan expected New eZaland to study the possibilities of the market in the Orient. In conclusion, Mr. Debuchi said that he hoped New Zealand and Japan would go forward together, not only for the prosperity and security of the Pacific, but of the whole world.