dti
the department for Enterprise
RESTRICTED
dialogue with Japan.
As my programme was shortened, I had no opportunity on this occasion to do more than catch some tantalising glimpses of the elements underlying Japanese economic success. A briefing at MITI, and conversations with a number of businessmen, confirmed that, whatever the role of Japanese government in the past, today
the contribution of ministries like MITI was primarily through
their influence on macroeconomic policy, their support of some
basic research in key technologies and through acting as a
catalyst for business's own ideas about future economic and
technological developments. A highly competitive private sector
is clearly the root of Japan's success. A brief visit to the Toshiba training institute in Kawasaki confirmed the substantial
extent to which, on their own initiative and responsibility, major firms aim to educate and develop their own workforce.
HONG KONG
Although a summons to a Gulf debate left only a single Sunday out of a four day programme, I was still able to have a useful
discussion with the Governor, meet a number of prominent
businessmen and others and see the site of the new airport.
It was well worth doing so because Hong Kong is still our single most valuable commercial asset on the Asia/Pacific Rim and a
relatively easy point of entry for many companies into the rest
of the region. Besides direct purchases of goods and services in
excess of £1 billion each, it has by far the biggest
concentration of UK investment in Asia: some estimates put the
market value of main companies owned or managed by UK interests
RESTRICTED
Recycled
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.