XN000022-1983-08-08 — Page 5

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MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 1983

JAPANESE YOUTH GROUP VISIT +WELL WORTHWHILE+

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REPRESENTATIVES OF A VISITING JAPANESE YOUTH GROUP FROM NAGANO PREFECTURE WERE GIVEN A WARM WELCOME THIS (MONDAY) MORNING WHEN THEY PAID A COURTESY VISIT ON THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.

IN A WELCOMING SPEECH, THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MRS ANSON CHAN, SAID THE VISIT OF 460 YOUNG WORKERS FROM THE NAGANO PREFECTURE WOULD STRENGTHEN THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL TIES BETWEEN THE TWO PLACES AND HELP TO PROMOTE INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING AND SOLIDARITY.

HONG KONG, SHE SAID, ALREADY HAD TRADING TIES WITH THE PREFECTURE THROUGH THE INVESTMENT OF SOME 22 FIRMS HERE.

+DESPITE OUR GEOGRAPHICAL SEPARATION, ETHNIC AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES, I THINK YOUTHS EVERYWHERE SHARE THE SAME ASPIRATION OF STRIVING FOR A BETTER WORLD WHERE PEACE. SELF-SUFFICIENCY, GOOD HEALTH, SOCIAL PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY CAN PREVAIL,+ SHE SAID.

THE VISIT OF THE CORAL PRINCESS' BRINGING ITS MANY YOUNG AMBASSADORS FROM JAPAN TO HONG KONG HAS NOW BECOME AN ANNUAL EVENT AND SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO BY THE YOUTHS OF OUR TWO COMMUNITIES,+ SHE ADDED.

MRS CHAN SAID THAT THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AND EXPERIENCES IN YOUTH WORK BETWEEN THE VISITORS AND LOCAL YOUTH WORKERS WOULD BE WELL WORTHWHILE+,

THE GROUP, ON THEIR TENTH VISIT TO HONG KONG SINCE 1974, ARRIVED HERE ON BOARD THE +CORAL PRINCESS+ THIS MORNING AS PART OF THEIR STUDY TOUR, ORGANISED BY THE NAGANO PREFECTURAL GOVERNMENT.

AMONG THE VISITORS WERE THE PREFECTURE'S DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND LABOUR DEPARTMENT, MR I. YAMAGISHI, AND THE GROUP'S LEADER MR M. KURASHIMA,

THE NAGANO GROUP IS HOLDING A DINNER RECEPTION AT 6.30 PM TODAY ON BOARD THE +CORAL PRINCESS+ FOR 140 STUDENTS STUDYING JAPANESE LANGUAGE AND OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE HERE. AMONG THE GUESTS WILL BE THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MRS EVELYN DOE, AND SENIOR OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT.

THE SHIP WILL LEAVE HONG KONG TOMORROW NIGHT FOR SHANGHAI.

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