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166401 MDHIA 2909
6.
ON EDUCATION, I AWAIT YOUR ADVICE ON WHETHER MR LILLEY WOULD PREFER A TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL (CATERING FOR LOWER ABILITY RANGE) OR A STANDARD ACADEMIC SCHOOL. WE HAVE CONTACTS WITH ONE OF THE FORMER WHICH WAS VISITED IN SEPTEMBER BY DAWE, HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT'S TRAINING AGENCY. MR LILLEY MIGHT ALSO LIKE TO VISIT AN IN-HOUSE COMPANY TRAINING CENTRE, EG. TOSHIBA, TO SEE THE MODERN TRAINING WHICH A TOP LEVEL JAPANESE COMPANY GIVES ITS EMPLOYEES.
7.
AS THE FIRST UK CABINET MINISTER TO VISIT JAPAN SINCE MR MAJOR HAS BECOME PRIME MINISTER, THE VISIT IS LIKELY TO ATTRACT CONSIDERABLE MEDIA INTEREST. I SUGGEST 2 MAIN SPEECHES:
1)
AT THE KEIDANREN, TO A SELECT GROUP OF SENIOR JAPANESE BUSINESSMEN (PERHAPS NOT MORE THAN 40 OR SO). THE MAIN THEMES COULD BE: UK POLICY ON EUROPE, REASSURANCE ON CONTINUED LIBERAL TRADE POLICIES AND WELCOME FOR INWARD INVESTMENT.
2)
AT THE BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN JAPAN, TO A MIXED AUDIENCE OF BRITISH AND JAPANESE BUSINESSMEN (THIS WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO A TWO-WAY DISCUSSION OVER BREAKFAST WITH THE CHAMBER'S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE). POSSIBLE THEMES ARE : CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR PROMOTION OF UK EXPORTS TO JAPAN, ENCOURAGEMENT FOR UK INVESTMENT IN JAPAN, AND SOMETHING UPBEAT ON THE UK DOMESTIC ECONOMY.
I ASSUME YOU WILL WISH TO PREPARE FIRST DRAFTS OF THE SPEECHES, ON WHICH WE WILL BE HAPPY TO OFFER COMMENTS.
8.
AS JAPANESE POLITICIANS ARE ALSO LIKELY TO BE INTERESTED IN THE ABOVE THEMES, MR LILLEY MAY WISH TO CONSIDER A SESSION WITH MEMBER'S S OF THE LDP'S TRADE AND INDUSTRY SUB-COMMITTEE, POSSIBLY OVER BREAKFAST. THIS WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO INVITING A FEW SENIOR POLITICIANS TO THE DINNER I AM HOSTING.
9.
ON THE EXPORT PROMOTION SIDE, MR LILLEY'S VISIT COINCIDES WITH THE JUDGING OF THE OPORTUNITY JAPAN AWARDS WHICH IS TAKING PLACE IN LONDON ON 18 JANUARY (YOUR OTTER 576 FROM EJU REFERS). I AM ONE OF THE JUDGES, BUT MR LILLEY'S INVOLVEMENT IN THIS WOULD CLEARLY RAISE THE PROFILE OF THE EVENT, PROMPTING GREATER
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