Selling P-NG In Japan

DURING the last few years, numerous enterprising Japanese businessmen have “invaded” the South Pacific to seek markets in the area for Japanese goods, or to arrange fishing, mining, or timber-cutting concessions from Islands Governments.

Now, at last, the process has been reversed and an attempt— a very successful one—has been made to sell Islands products in lapan.

The occasion was the recent Osaka Trade Fair, where the Australian Department of Territories arranged an attractive exhibit from Papua-New Guinea in the Australian pavilion.

Immediate results from this included the sale by agents of about 100 tons of coffee, 100 tons of cocoa, a shipload of New Guinea timber worth about £12,000 with monthly shipments to follow, and crocodile skins valued at £l2O with more orders following. Great interest was also shown in coconut products, basketware, peanuts, passionfruit, tapa cloth and artifacts.

Public interest in the exhibit was reflected in the extensive coverage of it in the Japanese Press and on television. It was also covered in a documentary film.

Other features were the distribution of about 25,000 copies of a booklet in Japanese on P-NG products and the distribution, daily, of 2,000 to 3,000 cups of New Guinea coffee to Japanese visitors to the exhibit.

The exhibit was staffed by Mr. H. V, Clarke, of the Aus tralian Department of Territories; Mr. N. F. C. Jackson, a P-NG Administrative Co-operative Inspector; five Japanese, three of whom represented major Japanese cocoa and coffee-importing firms; and two New Guineans, George Mapai, an Administration co-operatives inspector, and Napoleon Ikerere, a Popondetta cocoa planter.

George (pictured) made a great hit with everyone when he presented a live crocodile (caught by Mr. Max Wright at Cape Hoskins) to the Mayor of Osaka on behalf of the P-NG Administration. The crocodile is now in the Osaka Zoo.