CONFIDENTIAL
७
AKK 121/23.
OFFICER
HAH Cortazzi Esq CMG Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Action
Taken
British Embassy,
TOKYO.
30 November 1978
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Mr Samuel
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Dear Hugh,
VISIT OF HONG KONG INVESTMENT TEAM TO TOKYO
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1. I am sure that Murray MacLehose will himself be reporting on his recent visit here which certainly appeared to us to be a very considerable success. We did not participate in any way in the calls which he and his colleagues made so we cannot give you any indication of these, but they seemed very satisfied and there is no doubt that the party were received with all possible honour. They saw not only the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, but also the Finance and MITI Ministers. Mr Sonoda also gave a very agreeable dinner party for the Governor and his team to which he was kind enough to invite me and members of the Embassy staff. The Foreign Minister had gathered for his party not only senior officials but also such captains of industry as Mr Nagano and Mr Inayama. At a return banquet the following night, to which again I was kindly invited, the Governor and his team entertained about 200 leaders of the Japanese economic, financial and commercial establishment at which Mr Sonoda also was present and spoke warmly of the mission.
2. Inevitably with all the interest which there is at present on trade with China the Governor's views were frequently sought on this subject. I do not think I can do better than send you as an enclosure to this letter an accurate report of the press conference which the Governor gave on his last day which reflects the interest in China. (You may also have seen the report in the Financial Times for 23 November.)
3.
I believe that Murray will have regarded as probably his most important achievement an understanding that there should be set up a continuing organisation through which Japan and Hong Kong can discuss together future trade and investment problems. The detail
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CONFIDENTIAL