§ 83. Mr. Errollasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now make a statement on the growth of Japanese competition and the steps being taken to meet it.
§ Mr. J. EdwardsWe are fully aware of the seriousness of Japanese competition as a long-term problem, and, as my right hon. Friend has stated in answer to recent questions on this subject, the whole matter is at present being examined and consultation with industries has begun. The threat is potential rather than actual, since overall Japanese production is still only about half pre-war and exports are only just over a quarter. We shall take every possible step, by representations to the Occupation Authorities and otherwise, to prevent a recurrence of the sort of unfair practice familiar before the war, and wherever possible we shall support measures to raise the standard of living of the Japanese workers and thus avoid low price competition based on cheap labour.