Fishery, tourism,

yes but not yet aid in Vanuatu

Japan is one of 11 countries that have established diplomatic re lations with the Republic of Vanuatu during the first year following its emergence from the status of a Franco-British condominium. While the Vanuatu Government is cer tainly interested in what Japan has to offer, it is treating with caution an approach from the Japanese Government, made through its Suva embassy, to submit proposals for project aid from Japan.

It can still recall the green light given by the provisional government of New Hebrides in 1978 to Mitsubishi-Sumitomo to set up a woodchip mill in Santo and develop timber stands on other, outer islands.

The offer was made after a

Japanese Government-spon

sored study carried out under he self-same project aid ar ■angements. The study took ieveral years to complete.

But to date nothing whatso ever has happened. No contact )n the matter has been made by he principals for more than hree years. This is in spite of a :een desire on Vanuatu’s part to :ncourage their investment in orestry. Negotiations are now >roceeding in this field with •ther, non-Japanese, interested >arties.

In contrast with this, private apanese concerns continue to xpand the two major areas of

yen investment in Vanuatu: fishing and tourism.

South Pacific Fishing Com pany, in which the majority shareholder is the Mitsui group, is setting up a new, joint venture company with the Vanuatu Government, already a 10% shareholder in SPFC.

The new company will seek to develop the Paiyo fishing method, using anchored rafts. A one-year trial period is planned.

The fish so caught are to be snap-frozen and freighted whole to Japan as ‘presentation fish’.

In 1980 SPFC shipped 8299 tonnes of frozen fish to the USA, Italy and Japan. Fish is Vanuatu’s second most import ant export item after copra, and the taxes earned from its export contribute substantially to the national income.

SPFC has recently diversified into beef and now exports processed, salted meat to Japan.

It is at present setting up a grazing operation, and has plans to ship live cattle to Japan.

In tourism, the Tokyo-based Tokyu group owns and operates the Le Lagon Country Club resort on Erakor Lagoon, Port- Vila. At present a programme of upgrading and refurbishing the resort is under way at an estimated cost of just under $1 million.

While Japanese tourist ar rivals for 1980 were down 11% compared with 1979, the mar

ket in 1981 has been steady and growing. Both UTA and Thai International have weekly flights between Tokyo and Noumea and group tours (the method of travel adopted by most Japanese) can be arranged for either a combined New Caledonia-Vanuatu holiday, or a stayput Vanuatu one.

In Vanuatu the preferred attractions for Japanese visitors are the tropical scenery, easily accessible and reasonably priced sports (golf and tennis mainly), and marine tours.

They are fascinated by the corals and marine life viewed through clear, unpolluted waters from the glass-bottom cruisers. They also enjoy the day trips, with diving, snorkell ing, and game fishing and the chance to eat their own catch. It is a familiar sight to see a chain of lifejacket-clad non-swimmers paddling around their cruise vessel, taking their first tenta tive swimming lesson from the skipper, while their antics are recorded by a camera-festooned guide.

Vanuatu’s duty-free shopping is competitive: in the luggage of the Japanese tourist, locally carved artifacts, a Cartier watch or a Dior creation are likely to have to fight for space with French perfumes and bottles of premium spirits and liqueurs.

Local foods not always readily available in Japan, such as coconut crab, marinaded raw fish, lap lap, heart-of-palm salads, are much appreciated as, of course, is the plentiful supply of beef.

The chance to be photo graphed alongside a Custom dancer in traditional costume at an Island Night Show is a

highlight for many Japanese on their Vanuatu stopover. Honey moon tours are also popular, and special arrangements are made for church marriages and dedication ceremonies.

Japan’s Pacific Society, set up three years ago and privately funded and administered, is seeking to foster closer cultural relations with the peoples of the Pacific, and has taken a keen interest in the emerging nation of Vanuatu. Its president, Noboru Gotoh, who is also head of the Tokyu Corporation, was responsible for a substantial independence gift of communi cations equipment to Vanuatu.

Imports of Japanese goods are significantly higher than those from any other country.

Most are what must be called luxury items, and many, such as watches, cameras, tape re corders and radios are re exported as purchases by cruise ship and air tour visitors.

In reciprocal trade, Japan is the main market for manganese ore (3522 tonnes exported in 1980), and trochus and greensnail shell (47 tonnes in 1980). Moves are being made to increase exports of log timber (13 tonnes), cocoa beans (5 tonnes), and to develop new markets for such local produce as tropical fruits, coffee beans and root vegetables.

A new airfreight service through the South Pacific to Osaka, Tokyo and Kagoshima, which is being planned by Air Nauru, will increase the scope for Vanuatu producers to ex pand into these Japanese mar kets. It is hoped that the Japanese Government will also offer reciprocal access on a

preferred nation basis.

lan

Mclntyre in Port-Vila.