Remarks by His Excellency Mr Hideaki Ueda Ambassador of Japan ...

Remarks by
His Excellency Mr Hideaki Ueda
Ambassador of Japan to Australia
at the Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) Luncheon
AIIA. Perth
Date: Wednesday, 4th October, 2006
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
1. Introduction
Thank you for your kind invitation to speak to you today. The AIIA is an organisation that
aims to promote an interest and involvement in international affairs. Naturally, it is always a
pleasure to address an audience that has both a great interest and understanding of the topic
at hand.
Today I would like to talk to you about recent developments in the Australia-Japan bilateral
relationship, as well as the long-standing relationship between Japan and Western Australia.
2. Australia-Japan Year of Exchange
This year is a very significant year for Australia-Japan relations. Our two countries celebrate
a number of milestones in 2006, including the 30 th anniversary of the signing of the Basic
Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in 1976.
In July 2003, Prime Minister Howard and then Prime Minister Koizumi agreed to designate the
year 2006, as the Australia Japan Year of Exchange, so as to promote friendship, deeper
mutual understanding and cooperation between our two countries.
The Australia Japan Year of Exchange ensured that the year would be much more than just
an opportunity to celebrate our friendship and commemorate our important anniversaries.
It was intended as a forward looking year. An opportunity to re-focus on our bilateral ties
which some people might take for granted. An opportunity to deepen mutual understanding
between Japanese and Australians through increased exchanges in many fields and to
reinvigorate grass roots exchange.
3. Japan’s Relations with Western Australia
Yesterday I attended the opening of the Japan Pavilion, a major exhibit at this year’s Perth
Royal Show celebrating Japan’s relationship with Western Australia.
The Pavilion showcases a diverse range of Japanese culture including Japanese food, art
and cutting-edge technology in the form of ASIMO, the world’s most advanced humanoid
robot. Being a guest nation at the Perth Royal Show is an honour for us. I hope that people of
Western Australia will have ample opportunity to experience a feel of something Japanese at
the Japan Pavilion at the Royal Showground.
This year, Western Australia also celebrates another milestone, the 40 th anniversary of the
first bulk shipment of iron ore to Japan which departed from Geraldton on February 14, 1966.

• WA Pearling History
Of course, the history of Japan-Western Australian relations goes back even further. At the
beginning of the 20th Century, almost 4000 Japanese were involved in the pearling industry,
many of those at Broome, which at the time was the largest pearling centre in the world.
In the early 1900’s, Japanese divers, making up to fifty dives per day, risked shark attacks,
lung infections and the bends, as they carried out their dangerous and often lethal work.
Japanese divers could remain submerged at 50 to 130 feet for extended periods of time.
If the divers ascended too rapidly they could die. History tells us that scores of Japanese
divers were killed or crippled by the bends. The historic Japanese cemetery at Broome
stands as a testament to the lives lost and the sacrifice made by the many Japanese divers.
Looking back today, Broome’s pearling industry and resulting long-held historic ties to Japan,
can now be seen as the beginning of a relationship between Japan and Western Australia
that would grow on expanded trade.
• Trade Relations
Today our bilateral ties are wide ranging and indeed, I will speak later on the increased
political and security cooperation between our two nations. But trade still remains a vitally
important pillar of our partnership.
How important
Japan is still Australia’s largest trade partner. One fifth of all Australian exports go to Japan.
Japan remains the number one market for a wide range of Australian goods including coal,
liquefied natural gas (LNG), and agricultural products.
The story is no different in Western Australia. As we all know, Western Australia is the
nation's No.1 export State, accounting for 32.6 per cent of Australia's total merchandise
exports. And once again, Japan is Western Australia’s largest export market. In 2005-06
Western Australia exports to Japan totalled over $A10.8 billion, which accounted for 39 per
cent of the state’s total exports.
The statistics are just as impressive from Japan’s viewpoint. Australia is the largest supplier
of strategically important goods such as coal and iron ore whose shares of Japan’s imports
are 65 and 55 per cent respectively.
Australia supplies Japan with 33 per cent of its uranium imports and 16 per cent of its LNG
imports. Australia is also the second largest supplier of cotton and the third largest supplier of
wheat to Japan.
Currently 90 per cent of Japan’s beef imports come from Australia. That is a result, not just of
the ban on US beef imports which has recently been lifted, but also a reflection of how trusted
and popular Australian beef is in Japan.
It should be acknowledged that Japanese know-how helped the Australian beef industry
develop product that was more suited to the Japanese market.
The impact of the Japanese market on the Australian resources industry, in the 40 years
since that first bulk shipment of iron, should not be underestimated or forgotten. The current
close relationship we share is the result of the wisdom and efforts of our predecessors.
Next year, Australia and Japan will celebrate the 50 th Anniversary of the signing of Agreement
on Commerce between Australia and Japan, which has provided a legal framework to support
the stable bilateral economic relations.
This is a perfect opportunity for us not only to reflect on our paths in the past but to look
ahead and consider the future direction for us to take.
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• Resources and Energy
Today, we have seen tremendous oil price hikes. Also, two emerging economies, China and
India, are responsible for driving demand for resources upward.
The rapidly increasing international demand for resources means that the question of energy
and food security has become an issue of great importance to all nations. I note with interest,
that the AIIA will hold a symposium on this very topic next week in Canberra, examining the
impact of energy security on Australia’s international relations.
Let’s look at the current and future Australia-Japan trade ties from such a perspective.
Firstly, Japanese investment in the resource sector continues to be significant, including
involvement in major projects such as the North West Shelf and the Bayu-Undan Field LNG
project.
Existing investments include coal, iron-ore, aluminium, timber and mineral sands. Many
Western Australian iron ore projects involve Japanese investment, including the Robe River
joint venture which exports 40 million tonnes of iron ore a year and employs 950 people.
• Environment Issues
Just as important are the environmental issues. Both nations have invested in clean energy
technologies and emission management. It is worth noting that in terms of total energy
consumption, Japan ranks fourth but on a per capita basis its consumption is half that of the
United States.
Australia and Japan are working together on ultra-clean coal technologies. The CSIRO
together with UCC energy and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have been developing a product
which could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent.
Academics at the University of Melbourne and Meiji University are carrying out work on CO2
emissions geo-sequestration research, while in 2004, eleven major Australian and Japanese
coal industry partners committed themselves to a study of the potential application of clean
coal technology to electricity generation.
Japan has long made it a priority to tackle the issue of climate change. With the entering into
effect of the Kyoto Protocol on February 16, 2005, the international community took its first
step toward enhancing efforts for the prevention of global warming.
Australia initiated the Asia-Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate in July last
year with the participation of six countries, Australia, Japan, together with the US, China, India,
and the Republic of Korea.
And the first ministerial meeting was chaired by Foreign Minister Downer in Sydney. This
partnership complements the Kyoto Protocol and aims to respond to environmental
challenges such as pollution, energy security, and climate change issues through the
development of and diffusion of clean, efficient technology.
Japan is more than simply a good customer. It remains a trusted and reliable partner. It’s
existing and future projects, investments and joint ventures, and accompanying technology
and environmental record together with Australia’s record as a reliable supplier should ensure
that resources trade between Japan and Australia continues to be both as complementary
and as vital to both countries in the future, as it was throughout the last five decades.
4. Bilateral Relations
I would now like to examine our bilateral relations more broadly. In recent years, political and
security issues have come to the forefront and here too, Australia and Japan have
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successfully worked together to promote peace, stability and economic prosperity in the
Pacific region and throughout the world.
In an acknowledgment of these growing ties, Prime Minister Howard, on a number of
occasions has stated that “Australia has no greater friend in Asia than Japan.”
In March this year, at the Foreign Ministerial talks, Foreign Minister Downer and Foreign
Minister Aso, jointly declared that “Australia and Japan had developed a comprehensive
strategic relationship of great significance for both countries.’
• Iraq
Cooperation in Iraq between Japan and Australia was a ‘complete success’. The Australian
Government dispatched 450 troops to Al Muthanna province in Iraq to provide security for the
Japanese Self Defence Force engineers who were providing humanitarian and reconstruction
assistance in the province. Japan highly appreciated the Australian deployment.
• North Korea
Recently, our two countries cooperated effectively on measures in response to North Korean
issues. The Government of Japan highly values and appreciates that the Australian
government announced financial measures to restrict financial transaction related to North
Korean weapons of mass destruction in accordance with UNSC1695 on the same day as
Japan announced such measures.
Such concerted actions by Australia, Japan and the US, which had already taken similar
measures, demonstrated our strong determination to North Korea.
• Upgrading of tri-lateral security dialogue
We have witnessed significant progress in a trilateral cooperation among Australia, Japan and
the United States. In March in Sydney, U.S. Secretary of State Rice joined Foreign Minister
Downer and Foreign Minister Aso for the inaugural Ministerial meeting of the Trilateral
Strategic Dialogue. This meeting added a new dimension to the Japan-Australia bilateral
relationship.
• New Administration – committed to advancing relations further
Just over a week ago, Mr Shinzo Abe, former Chief Cabinet Secretary, became Japan’s new
Prime Minister. Mr Shinzo Abe attaches great importance to Australia-Japan bilateral
relations. His grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, former Prime Minister from 1957 to 1960, signed
the 1957 Agreement on Commerce between Australia and Japan.
Speaking at his very first general-policy speech delivered at the opening of a Diet session on
29 th September, Mr Abe emphasized building stronger ties with Australia, along with India and
the United States, which all share important values in this region. I strongly believe that under
his leadership, the Australia-Japan comprehensive strategic partnership will be further
materialised in a wide range of areas.
• Strengthening Defence Cooperation
One of those areas could be the security front. When Mr Downer visited Japan in August,
some sort of agreement for defence cooperation between Australia and Japan was proposed.
We are more than happy to explore the possibility of the framework to further strengthen
defence cooperation in due course.
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• Acceleration of FTA Joint Study
When Prime Minister Howard and the then Prime Minister Koizumi met last year in Tokyo,
both Prime Ministers agreed that Australia and Japan would undertake a FTA Joint Study
which would examine the pros and cons of a Free Trade Agreement. The decision is a
reflection of the importance of deepening the bilateral economic partnership as part of the
strategic relationship.
The feasibility study was originally projected to last for two years but the process could be
accelerated. At that point both governments can then make a decision to proceed to the next
step. I truly hope that we will find a realistic solution which is beneficial for both of us.
I am also confident that such a solution will provide greater opportunity to extend and
strengthen bilateral economic and social relations between Japan and Australia, and
especially between Japan and Western Australia
• APEC Meeting in Australia in 2007
Australia will host next year’s APEC meeting. This provides another valuable opportunity for
Japan and Australia to work together to produce concrete outcomes in an important regional
forum.
I would like to conclude my speech by saying that it is my hope that the renewed interest and
focus on Australia-Japan bilateral relations will be sustained in the following 12 months and
beyond, and that our highly successful partnership and friendship will continue to flourish and
expand in the years ahead.
Thank you.
[END]
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