Vew from the chair: Speeches of Richard WL Austin

To this day, judging by what Japanese businessmen tell me, most Australian companies still have not the slightest idea how to reach, let alone retain, the Japanese consumer. We still don't know how to treat Japanese tourists, even though in 1988 they numbered 320 000 and spent $1.5 billion here. Our charter buses are unpunctual; we offer them the wrong sort of food; we sell them second-rate goods, often not even made in Australia; we are short on politeness and packaging; we fail to put a Japanese speaker between them and the harsh reality of the Aussie world. Of course, the problem with the language is that it is extraordinarily difficult. Indeed, it was described by an early Christian missionary, reporting back to Rome, as the language of the devil, expressly designed to hinder the spreading of the Gospel. Thus many students are called but few are chosen, although things are better than they used to be and there are now a number of Australians who speak fluent Japanese. But still there are not nearly enough. But, what the unchosen can do is to learn about Japan and the Japanese, remembering that successful cultural and social interaction reflects the whole way of life of both countries and covers all the traditions, behaviour patterns and attitudes of mind peculiar to each one. Those who have anything to do with Japan must attempt this task. They should not be put off by perceived differences but encouraged by unrealised similarities. I have listed some of these similarities, fully aware that there may well be others that I have overlooked. In the first place, in terms of the modern world and not, of course, of the myths of creation, both Australia and Japan are young countries. Japan emerged only in the latter half of last century from the cocoon in which the Tokugawa shogunate had kept it isolated from outside influences for some 250 years. The Japanese butterfly has still not quite determined the direction in which it wants to fly. Australia was even later emerging from colonial domination and the fact that we talk so much about our identity suggests that we are still searching for it. Both countries are physically insecure----Japan through earthquakes, floods and fire; Australia through droughts, floods and fire. Japan has the additional insecurity-and a very important one----of a dearth of raw materials; and Australia has a shortage of worker bees. Both races are xenophobic-the only difference being that we let foreign immigrants in, and Japan does not. But having done so, we tend to concentrate our dislike on the last boatload to arrive in port. Both races are uneasy in the face of individuality. Australians cut down the tall poppy; Japanese hammer in the protruding nail. Both races are anti-intellectual, pragmatic, and basically conservative. Both races differentiate between the sexes. Despite all the talk of unisex, there is one world for men, another for women. Both races are very different from, and quite ambivalent in their attitude towards, the people who gave them their original civilisation-the Chinese and the British. Mateship is nothing more than giri ninjo in Australian form, simple and more direct perhaps, with the mutual obligations more instinctive and less codified. 139