HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.C.R. NO.50          
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION

  REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
    AND TOURISM TO CONDUCT A STUDY OF JAPAN'S IMPORT BEHAVIOR
    TO ASSIST AND IMPROVE THE EFFORTS OF HAWAII'S BUSINESSES
    IN CONDUCTING BUSINESS WITH THAT COUNTRY.



 1        WHEREAS, Japan is Hawaii's largest and most important
 2   foreign market; and
 3   
 4        WHEREAS, Japanese individuals have an estimated $10
 5   trillion in personal savings, nearly twice that of their
 6   American counterparts; and
 7   
 8        WHEREAS, despite the recent downturn in Japan's economy,
 9   Japanese investment and tourism continue to play a large role
10   in Hawaii's economy; and
11   
12        WHEREAS, while a number of Hawaiian and United States
13   mainland firms have established successful retail operations in
14   Japan, and Hawaiian exports, especially agricultural products,
15   are popular with many Japanese tourists to Hawaii, exports to
16   Japan from Hawaii could be significantly expanded; and
17   
18        WHEREAS, the "Hawaii" name is a marketable and
19   underutilized economic asset.  Since Hawaii products advertise
20   the image and artistic creativity of Hawaii and its
21   multicultural community, there is a need to further promote,
22   market, distribute, and export Hawaii-made products and Hawaii-
23   grown crops to Japan; and
24   
25        WHEREAS, Hawaii companies that export to Japan need
26   information on Japan's import behavior, as well as other areas
27   including market trends, financing resources, pricing options,
28   importing regulations, specific trade leads, and other areas;
29   and
30   
31        WHEREAS, the Department of Business, Economic Development,
32   and Tourism has already begun to take steps in providing

 
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 1   information and contacts for overseas trade and business
 2   transactions, for example, by receiving tentative approval from
 3   the United Nations to establish a United Nations Trade Point;
 4   and
 5   
 6        WHEREAS, an understanding of the import behavior of
 7   Japanese firms and consumers is critical to establishing
 8   successful export operations to Japan from Hawaii; and
 9   
10        WHEREAS, in order to improve the quality of life and the
11   standard of living for Hawaii residents, there is a need for
12   the State to improve its balance of trade by boosting its
13   exports; and
14   
15        WHEREAS, there is a need for a study of Japan's import
16   behavior, including a study of trade and promotion of trade
17   with Japan, in order to assist and improve the efforts of
18   Hawaii's businesses in conducting business with that country;
19   now, therefore,
20   
21        BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
22   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
23   of 1999, the Senate concurring, that the Department of
24   Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is requested to
25   conduct a study of Japan's import behavior to assist and
26   improve the efforts of Hawaii's businesses in conducting
27   business with that country; and
28   
29        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the East-West Center, the
30   Japan-America Society of Hawaii, the Japanese Cultural Center
31   of Hawaii, the Japan-America Institute of Management Science,
32   and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce are requested to provide
33   assistance to the Department of Business, Economic Development,
34   and Tourism as may be necessary in the course of its study; and
35   
36        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Business,
37   Economic Development, and Tourism is requested to report its
38   findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than
39   twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of
40   2000; and
41   
42        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
43   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; the

 
 
 
 
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                                     H.C.R. NO.         50
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1   Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; the
 2   President of the East-West Center; the President of the Japan-
 3   America Society of Hawaii; the President of the Japanese
 4   Cultural Center of Hawaii; the President of the Japan-America
 5   Institute of Management Science; and the President of the
 6   Japanese Chamber of Commerce.
 7   
 8   
 9   
10                           OFFERED BY: ___________________________