TNAG-1374-FCO40-1820-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 47

CONFIDENTIAL

8.

If this "Japaneseness" increases, as seems likely, the implications are profound. Quite apart from continuing to need a substantial cadre of good Japanese specialists in the FCO over the next decades, we shall have to devote far more national resources to the study of Japanese language and culture than has been the case up to now or before. The harsh logic of our relative economic strength is that we must be prepared to learn about their cultural background and not simply expect them to understand ours. Should we fail to do so, we cannot hope to compete in, or against, the Japanese economy.

L

HKK 027/6

PECEIVED IN REGISTRY

11 DEC 1985

CONFIDENTIAL

STRY

Takon

یارت

D C Wilson