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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1989-10-11, Page 5What makes Japan run? BY RAYMOND CANON I am old enough to remember the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan and the ultimate total defeat of that country in World War II. It has, therefore, been with a mixture of fascination and awe that I have watched the same country claw its way back, Phoenix-like, from the ashes of defeat to the leading role that it now plays in the world economic scene. Whereas the country used to be known as a producer of cheap products and an avid copier of other people’s goods, it is now on the leading edge of high tech products and, if the United States could be considered to dominate the 20th century, the Japanese might well be the nation to which the next century belongs. What, you might ask, makes Japan run? Well, for openers, nobody could ever accuse the Japanese of being lazy. They are certainly prepared to work and to show enough patience to wait for profits over the long term. They show a loyalty to their employer that is the envy of just about every company in North America, not to mention Europe and, with dedication such as that, it is not surprising that they have been successful in what they do as a nation. If they share with the Germans Junior Farmers present Rural Leadership awards to area people The Huron County Junior Farm­ ers recognized agriculture and its people in Huron County at their Agri-Food Week Dinner ‘Huron County: An Agricultural Leader III’ held Monday, October 2, in Clin­ ton. Agri-Food Week is an opportun­ ity to promote agriculture. Don Pullen, Agricultural Representa­ tive Clinton O.M.A.F., spoke on the history and importance of agriculture in Huron County as well as its leadership in production and progress. Guest speaker, Ross Daily, Farm/Business Editor CFPL-TV, spoke on the image of agriculture as presented by the news media and the need of the agriculture industry to respond to both negative and positive criticism to ensure the correct facts are presented about agriculture. The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Rural Mabel's Continued from page 4 sick of their own company they’ll all quit and we can start fresh with a new batch of politicians.’’ FRIDAY: Ward said this morning that there figured to be one consolation for Jimmy Bakker hav­ ing to go go jail for all those charges he was convicted of. “At least he won’t have to look at Tammi over the breakfast table every morning. If she looks like that with her makeup on, what must she be like before she starts?’’ The International Scene THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1989. PAGE 5. County councillors to tour proposed sites an enviably diligence, they have learned something from the Swiss about the art of specialization. It is a question which country has fewer natural resources, especially in the field of energy but both have to live from their abilities and both have learned to specialize in areas where they can use their national talent. Whereas in the 1930’s, Japan prepared for war and spent a great deal of money on this preparation, during the past 25 years the Japanese, while building up a high level of military forces, which are called “self defence,’’ have man­ aged to keep, at least until recent­ ly, military spending at or below one percent of their gross national product, a level which is much lower than that of most of the NATO countries or of the Soviet Union. This has released a large flow of civilian savings, and the Japanese are savers, which has been channelled into productive activities. As both we and the Russians start to cut back on our unproductive military forces, we may have larger amounts of money for research and development but the Japanese are, at the present time, considerably ahead of us. All this is relatively common knowledge but, if you are actively engaged in the field of economics, there are a few things that stand out and which have been all but ignored by the general public and perhaps even governments. One of the main observations is that by no stretch of the imagination can Japan be called a free enterprise nation, wedded to the concept of as much competition as possible. They have actually managed to take over some of the more logical Leadership Awards. Five people were honoured for their leadership and contributions to agriculture and the rural community in Huron County. Award winners were: Bruce Bergsma, RR 1, Londesboro; Elizabeth Earle, RR 2, Listowel; Doug Gamiss, RR 4, Wingham; Elizabeth Earle, RR 2, Listowel; Doug Gamiss RR 4, Wingham, Glen McNeil, RR 6, Goderich; and Dianne van Vliet, RR 1, Walton. The Huron County Junior Farm­ ers would like to thank the Huron County Pork Producers and The Huron County Wheat Producers co-sponsorship of the evening and to all those who attended ‘Huron County: An agricultural Leader IIP making it a success. The Huron County Junior Farmers are striving for ‘Self Help and Community Betterment.’ Bruce Bergsma, RR 1, Londes­ boro - ‘For many years Bruce has given his time and effort to the hog industry - freely and willingly; to assist the county Pork Producers to progress and develop their liveli­ hood’. Bruce is in his second term as President of the Huron County Pork Producers Association, is past President of the Ontario Pork Congress and is a Director for the Ontario Swine Breeders and On­ tario Landrace Association. Nomi­ nated by Chris Hills and Jerry Klingenberg. Elizabeth Anne Earl, RR 2, Listowel - ‘Beth is very conscien­ tious and hard working in any job she tackles. Beth has always been friendly, helpful and outgoing with those she comes in contact with’. Beth has been a 4-H Leader for five theories of Karl Marx, no less, so that the state is involved in the Japanese economy to a degree that would be anathema to the United States. Take a look at the size of the Japanese banks and major corpor­ ations compared with those else­ where and it strikes you that monopoly and oligopoly must be household words there. Certainly the great corporations function much more efficiently than they do here and they carry out their activities with the full knowledge and support of the government. The Japanese have made job security a much more dominant aspect of their labour relations than have other countries. They have discovered that they will get much more productivity out of their workers if the later are not con­ stantly worried about how long they will be able to keep their job. Their wage structure is also differ­ ent; they gain a much higher per cent in production bonuses. It is only recently that the Canadian unions have started to concentrate on job security and they are still getting a rough time from the employers. One of the things I warn my students about is a disease called hardening of the intellectual arter­ ies. In the current dynamic world of business, you simply have to keep an open mind, an intellectual flexibility as it were because, if you don’t, the competition will simply pass you by. Perhaps the Japanese have kept this lesson in mind and resolved to win World War III by economic means what they failed to do by military means in World War II. years and social convenor on the local Home and School. She is an active member of the Ethel United Church as a Sunday School teacher, superintendent and elder. She is also past Secretary-Treasur- er of the Ethel Women’s Institute. Nominated by the Ethel Women’s Institute. Doug Garniss, RR 4, Wingham - ‘Doug has spent many hours away from the farm business to work for the Federation and ultimately the benefit of us all in Agriculture’. Doug was President of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture in 1985 and 1986, a Provincial Director in 1987, 1988 and 1989 and a member of the Provincial Execu­ tive in 1988. Nominated by Bryan Vincent and Larry Plaetzer. Glen McNeil, RR 6, Goderich - ‘Glen has actively provided leader­ ship for a number of years to Huron County 4-H Clubs and leaders, numerous agricultural organiza­ tions, and is well known for his expertise in judging dairy cattle. He has judged overseas by invita­ tion. Glen operates a dairy farm in Colborne Township and would be quite deserving of this Award’. Nominated by the Huron County Farm & Home Safety Association. Dianne van vliet, RR 1, Walton - ‘Dianne has been involved in Junior Farmers and 4H for many years. She has given her time graciously to these organizations’. Dianne is a Past President of both the Huron County Junior Farmers’ Association and the 4-H Leader’s Assocation. Nominated by Bryan Vincent and Lynda Feagan. Continued from page 1 such items as distance from hospi­ tal and ambulance services. In the afternoon, as council got ready to decide on the Huronview Committee’s recommendation to take a bus tour of the sites, the issute of criteria for making the choice came up again. Councillor Fuller suggested that with $15 million being spent on the new Huronview projects (the larger at the present Clinton site), there should be more hard facts used. “I can’t believe that county council­ lors are not interested “in getting as many facts as possible on the sites.’’ Members of the Huronview Committee said they did have criteria laid down by the Ministry of Community and Social Services when they made their proposal in favour of the Brussels site but these included mostly such things as the location, transportation routes, zoning and by-law ap­ provals, soil conditions and the availability of electricity, water and sewers. As the two Exeter representa­ tives kept pressing for what criteria was used in the choosing of the Brussels site Tom Tomes, deputy chairman of the committee said that the Ministry guidelines were the only firm guidelines but he felt each member of the committee had other items he was looking at. Reeve Howard Armstrong of Stan­ ley said in the end it came down to a personal matter for each commit­ tee member. Members listened to architect Gail Lamb, but in the end it was “what you felt was good and fair for the seniors of Huron County’’. Councillor Fuller pointed out that the original recommendation had been for the Wingham site but it had been turned down after a tie vote then the vote was taken again with a tie for the Brussels site, with the committee chairman, Brussels Reeve Gordon Workman breaking the tie in favour of the Brussels site. Councillor Workman rose to defend his actions saying “when you see the site decide on where you would build a house if it was you and I’ll be satisfied.” County must take stand Huron County should take an official stand on what it wants to see done with the abandoned CP Rail line from Guelph to Goderich, Hullett Township Reeve Tom Cunningham told county council Thursday in Goderich. Councillor Cunningham told the council that although the county government isn’t on the priority list for levels of government in having a say on the future of the lands (first comes the federal govern­ ment, then the provincial govern­ ment, then municipal governments then the individual landowners), the county should take a stand. Hullett council has come out in favour of retaining the right of way for possible future use as a utilities corridor while other townships along the route want the land turned back to the adjoining land­ owners. Gary Davidson, county planning director agreed there are several different positions in the county and Bill Hanly, county clerk­ administrator said he understood Huron’s inability to come up with a common policy on railway lands may be holding up the process of the provincial government’s Inter- ministerial Committee making a recommendation on provincial re­ tention of the lands. Mr. Hanly said he had attended a meeting in Stratford late in Warden Dave Johnston came to Councillor Workman’s defence pointing out that Councillor Work­ man inherited the position as chairman (ironically when Turn­ berry Reeve Brian McBurney transferred to another committee because the pressures of a new job didn’t allow him to attend Huron­ view meetings) and that whether he was chairman or not he would have had a vote. John Doherty, deputy reeve of Goderich said “all the politics makes me upset.” Concern for the people who are going to live in the new building should be of most concern, he said. The commtitee set up to recommend a site had chosen a site, he said, and rather than see the council split over the issue “they should agree unani­ mously with the recommendation of the committee and get the thing built before we’re all old enough to be in Huronview”. Eventually the vote was taken and the approval was given for a bus tour of the sites on Thursday (Oct. 12) for all councillors. Following the decision Grey Township Reeve Leona Armstrong asked that a letter from Linda Gerard of the Ministry of Commun­ ity and Social Services be read aloud. The letter said that four sites, two each in Brussels and Wing­ ham, met the basic criteria of having zoning changes available, having services such as sewers, water and electricity available. However, she said, from the view­ point of the Ministry the best location was the Turnbull property on the edge of Brussels with its scenic setting and two accesses. She expressed concern that the Wingham site was too close to the high school and would suffer from noise from that facility. Later in the meeting Councillor Armstrong also rose to tell council that it appeared likely that the current Callander Nursing Home in Brussels would be closed and have its beds shifted to Wingham. It would, she suggested, give Wing­ ham a huge number of extended care beds if it received both the Callander beds and the new Huron­ view North beds. September at which the wardens of Perth, Waterloo and Wellington counties and the regional munici­ pality of Waterloo met to discuss the railway lands. A resolution drafted at the meeting to be distributed to the various munici­ palities calls for the province to take over ownership of the rail line for future use. Morris Reeve Doug Fraser said the landowners along the line want the land to go back to them for use as farmland and he too would like to see the county take a united stand. see the county take a united stand. Councillor Cunningham said he had travelled the line and much of it isn’t suited to rehabilitation as farmland. The province is looking at retaining ownership of the land, he said, and what is actually done with the land is less important than the ownership so that if the land was needed in the future it would­ n’t cost huge amounts to reassem­ ble the land. He pointed out that many com­ munities along the way have tapp­ ed into the pipeline from Lake Huron to London and that this might benefit communities like Blyth and Brussels if the right-of- way was used for a pipeline to Kitchener-Waterloo sometime in the future. No action was taken on Council­ lor Cunningham’s request.