THE SENATE                           S.R. NO.              47
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  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
33   information and contacts for overseas trade and business
34   transactions, for example, by receiving tentative approval from
35   the United Nations to establish a United Nations Trade Point;

 
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 1   and
 2   
 3        WHEREAS, an understanding of the import behavior of
 4   Japanese firms and consumers is critical to establishing
 5   successful export operations to Japan from Hawaii; and
 6   
 7        WHEREAS, in order to improve the quality of life and the
 8   standard of living for Hawaii residents, there is a need for
 9   the State to improve its balance of trade by boosting its
10   exports; and
11   
12        WHEREAS, there is a need for a study of Japan's import
13   behavior, including a study of trade and promotion of trade
14   with Japan, in order to assist and improve the efforts of
15   Hawaii's businesses in conducting business with that country;
16   now, therefore,
17   
18        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
19   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, that the
20   Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is
21   requested to conduct a study of Japan's import behavior to
22   assist and improve the efforts of Hawaii's businesses in
23   conducting business with that country; and
24   
25        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that prior to initiating any study
26   on its own, the Department of Business, Economic Development,
27   and Tourism review existing bodies of work that have been
28   completed by private or governmental agencies in the United
29   States or Japan on the same subject matter; and
30   
31        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Business,
32   Economic Development, and Tourism is encouraged to solicit
33   assistance as may be necessary in the course of its study from
34   the United States Chamber of Commerce, the Keidanren, Japan's
35   diplomatic representatives in Hawaii, the East-West Center, the
36   Japan-America Society of Hawaii, the Japanese Cultural Center
37   of Hawaii, the Japan-America Institute of Management Science,
38   and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce; and
39   
40        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Business,
41   Economic Development, and Tourism is requested to report its
42   findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than

 
 
 
 
 
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 1   twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of
 2   2000; and
 3   
 4        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
 5   Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; the Director of
 6   Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; the United States
 7   Chamber of Commerce, the Keidanren of Japan; the Consul General
 8   of Japan in Hawaii; the President of the East-West Center; the
 9   President of the Japan-America Society of Hawaii; the President
10   of the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii; the President of the
11   Japan-America Institute of Management Science; and the
12   President of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce.
13   
14   
15   
16                           OFFERED BY: ___________________________