Bradley Leaves on Trade Trip to Far East

Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley is scheduled to leave today on an 18-day visit to Southeast Asia and Japan with top city port officials, his third overseas trip this year.

The mayor’s office said the purpose of the trip is to encourage foreign trade with the Port of Los Angeles and with business in the city. Bradley will also attend a meeting in Tokyo of the Japanese-American Conference of Mayors and Chamber of Commerce Presidents, Press Secretary Fred MacFarlane said.

Bradley, promoting Los Angeles as a major trading partner with Pacific Rim nations, has traveled to Japan several times as mayor. But this will be his first trip to the Southeast Asian countries on the itinerary--Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

Others in Group

After Bradley, the lead participant in the city’s entourage is Harbor Department Executive Director Ezunial Burts. Two members appointed by Bradley to the city Harbor Commission--Jun Mori and Bob Rados--will also accompany the mayor. Jeff Matsui, an executive assistant to Bradley, and some Harbor Department specialists also are going.

The trip was suggested in July when ambassadors from the Assn. of Southeast Asian Nations visited Bradley at Los Angeles City Hall and held out an invitation, MacFarlane said.

In Singapore, the first stop, the itinerary for the Los Angeles group includes meetings to improve relations with a local steamship firm, the trade staff of the U.S. Embassy and local American business leaders. Similar activities are on the schedule in all of the Southeast Asia nations.

While in Bangkok, Thailand, Bradley is scheduled to meet with the governor of Hong Kong, MacFarlane said.

The Bradley entourage is scheduled to make several stops in Japan, including Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya.