Japanese Trade Thrust
p. 34 · Read in the full issue
And Japan's Point of View
Letter to the Editor IN reference to a letter appearing in your journal in July under “A Mysterious Occurrence”, in which a resident of the New Hebrides complains of the unwonted generosity of Japanese traders, it is interesting to read the fol lowing passage in “Foreigners Aren’t Fools” by Christopher Hollis, Dealing with future Japanese markets, in a chapter which gives the Japanese point of view rather than the European, he quotes a Japanese:— “Ah, but these European markets—we (the Japanese) are not really interested in them. We know that you can exclude us from them and we know that you will exclude us eventually. But there is the rest of the world, that is neither white nor yellow. The people there * are poor but there are many, and their purchasing power is bound to increase. You cannot exclude us from its markets, or can only do so at a price that will ruin you.
“Consider that world. Large parts of it you own—one or the other of you. Per haps, according to your imperial systems, you have the nominal right to impose tariffs there against us. But the natives in these countries have no wish that Japanese goods should be excluded. It is not their industry that is in competi tion with Japanese industry; it is the industry of Prance and England, Germany and America. They want only the cheap est articles—that is, the Japanese.
“Therefore, by imposing tariffs you will earn for yourselves great unpopular ity. Already you are unpopular enough and you cannot afford more unpopularity.
You will not be able to impose such tariffs against the will of the natives.
Already the more intelligent of you, such as the British in India, have recognised this, and others will have to recognise it ...”
It seems that your correspondent is not far from the truth, when he states that he should not be surprised if the osten tatious display of generosity he mentions was not for the whiteman, but for the natives, and that Japan is bent on push ing her trade throughout the South Sea Islands.
I am, etc..
Trader.
Pt. Moresby.
August 20. 1939.