Smith to Make First Visit to Japan

Trade Minister Lockwood Smith arrives in Japan tomorrow - his first visit to New Zealand's second biggest export destination and the world's second biggest economy.

His visit to Japan follows those earlier in the year by Prime Minister Jenny Shipley and Finance Minister Bill Birch.

Discussions will centre on our bilateral economic relationship, Japan's response to the Asian economic crisis, APEC Early Voluntary Sectoral Liberalisation initiatives and a new comprehensive WTO trade round.

Meetings are scheduled with Trade Minister Mitsuo Horiuchi, Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries Minister Yoshinobu Shimamura, and Construction Minister Tsutomu Kawara.

Dr Smith will also meet members of the Japan-New Zealand Parliamentarians League to discuss our bilateral economic relationship and the international trade liberalisation agenda, as he will in a meeting with the influential Agricultural Committee of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

While in Tokyo, Dr Smith will help promote Merino New Zealand, which is taking over from Wools of New Zealand as the New Zealand merino wool marketing organisation in Japan. He will help celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the New Zealand Tourism Board's Japan Office, address a New Zealand Investment Seminar and give a press conference to Japan's National Press Club.

Dr Smith will briefly visit Manukau City's sister city of Utsunomiya where he will meet Mayor Michiho Masuyama and visit Devon Homes, which markets New Zealand made houses in Japan.

In 1997, New Zealand exported $3.4 billion of goods to Japan, and earned a further $470 million from tourism. In the same year, Japan's exports to New Zealand were worth $2.57 billion.

Dr Smith leaves Japan on Saturday and heads to the APEC trade ministers' meeting in Kuching, Malaysia.