Posted on: Sunday, May 20, 2001

Editorial

Japan-U.S. talks pay off for Hawai'i

For some time now, it has been apparent that Hawai'i's economy tracks, rather nicely, the economy of Japan.

That is, where the Hawai'i economy once had peaks and valleys matching California and the West Coast (with a lag of about a year, perhaps), it now follows a pattern set by Japan.

Thus, anything that leads to greater cooperation, understanding and economic activity between Hawai'i and Japan must be seen as a good thing.

Toward that end, the East-West Center in Manoa has scheduled two vitally important meetings this week that aim to foster U.S. Japan cooperation and understanding.

The first, Monday and Tuesday, is the second international forum of the U.S. -Japan Civil Society Organization. The topic is encouraging U.S.-Japan cooperation on such matters as sustainable economic development and social action.

The second, on Wednesday, is sponsored by the Common Agenda Roundtable, a public-private group that looks for areas of cooperation between the two countries in dealing with global issues.

Information about these two meetings is available at 944-7258. More than talk-fests, these are part of a vital interaction between the United States and Japan that directly benefits each and every one of us in Hawai'i.