THE POSSIBILITY OF A BIG INCREASE IN TRADE BETWEEN JAPAN AND THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA WAS HIGHLIGHTED AT THE OPENING OF THE ECONOMIC AND TRADE EXHIBITION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA IN TOKYO ON FRIDAY. THE EXHIBITION IS A FOLLOW UP TO JAPANESE TRADE FAIRS HELD IN PEKING AND SHANGHAI LAST YEAR.

AMONG THE LARGE CROWD OF VISITORS WHO ATTENDED THE OPENING CEREMONY, WAS THE FORMER JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER, MR. ISHIBASHI. HE HEARD MR. NAN HAN-CHEN, HEAD OF THE CHINESE ECONOMIC DELEGATION, CALL FOR DEVELOPMENT OF TRADE BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES IN HIS ADDRESS. MORE THAN 10,000 EXHIBITS WILL BE ON DISPLAY FOR THREE WEEKS. OF THESE ABOUT 45 PER CENT DEAL WITH HEAVY MACHINERY, 20 PER CENT ACCOUNT FOR AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY, WHILE THE REST IS MADE UP FROM LIGHT INDUSTRIAL, FABRIC AND HANDICRAFT EXHIBITS.

(IN 1963 EXPORTS FROM JAPAN TO THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARE ESTIMATED TO TOTAL 62,000,000 DOLLARS; WHILE IMPORTS INTO JAPAN AMOUNTED TO 76,000,000.)