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IN an effort to forge closer ties with one of Hong Kong's key trading partners, a nine-member Legislative Council delegation last month visited Japan to meet government officials, politicians and business leaders.

  I joined the delegation because I am a member of the Hong Kong Japan Parliamentary League and I believe it is vital that the colony maintains its links with the international community.

  The delegation to Tokyo was led by Allen Lee and included four other members of the Liberal Party, three from the Breakfast Group and myself.

  We travelled economy class and went around in a coach, and some Japanese were taken aback because they did not expect legislators to travel in such a humble manner.

  The Principal Representative of the Hong Kong Government's Economic and Trade Office in Tokyo, David Lan, helped us to put together a hectic and worthwhile programme.

  During our meetings, we emphasised the need for Japan to open up its market to Hong Kong.

  We also urged the Japanese Government to consider giving visa-free treatment to Hong Kong travellers, since Japanese who come here for one month or less are not required to get visas.

  We were briefed about Japanese pension schemes and found similar problems to the ones we are grappling with.

  Another area we want to learn about from Tokyo is night-time roadworks. We were briefed on the subject, including the common utility duct, which seems to be an eminently sensible approach. However, all this involves forward planning, something for which Hong Kong is not famous.

  I can only hope the Hong Kong Government will pay more attention to this kind of planning in the new towns and on newly reclaimed land. Somehow we must plan our way out of this thousand-holes-in-the-road syndrome.

  We were particularly impressed by the efficient and remarkably quiet way the workers carried on their task. The following morning, the holes were covered up and traffic could flow smoothly.

  Most of the political and business leaders we met were aware of the problems associated with 1997, and wanted to know what would happen to Hong Kong after the death of Deng Xiaoping.

  The repeated questioning underlines the tragedy that the fate of the Chinese and Hong Kong people hangs on the life of a frail 90-year-old man.

  Despite attempts by the Chinese Government to assure the international community that the succession problem has been settled, the general perception is that China is ruled by one man, although his health and authority is rapidly slipping away.

  At a meeting with officials from the Economic Planning Agency, instead of waiting for them to raise the question of Deng, I asked for their assessment of what would happen to Hong Kong in 1997 and the advice they offer the Japanese business community. To my amazement they said they had no such assessment.

  During our meetings, we told the Japanese it is vital for Hong Kong to maintain the rule of law and respect for civil liberties and urged them to raise these issues with the Chinese Government. After all, the Japanese must realise these are key ingredients to the success of an open and vibrant market economy.

   ALTHOUGH the rest of the delegation were men, they did not mind hearing about equal opportunities for Japanese women, particularly because an increasing number of them come to work in Hong Kong.

  We were told by Japanese officials that, because the Equal Employment Opportunity Bill only came into force in 1986, it would take some time for women to achieve equality with men.

  But my biggest disappointment came in a meeting with the Japan Federation of Employers' Association. I asked how many Japanese women held senior positions in business corporations and was told there were hardly any.

  This is because promotion is dependent on seniority, and if women did not join the companies 20 or 30 years ago, how could they reach senior positions now.

  I then asked how long it would take for women to rise to high positions. '30 years' was the answer. Maybe they need an Anna Wu in Japan.



Japanese must open up