PM: Therese and I have been overwhelmed by the positive response which we've received personally in our visit in Japan. And also the positive response which we've received in the name of Australia here in Japan.
Whether it's in Hiroshima, whether it's in Kyoto, whether it's in Nagoya, whether it's in Yokohama or whether it's here in Tokyo.
One of the things that we've discussed in the last 24 hours with several groups of Japanese leaders is the absolute importance of expanding the knowledge of Japanese language in Australia.
I've indicated to our Japanese hosts that we have some 377,000 students of Japanese in Australian schools.
Across western countries, I'm advised, this is the single largest number of students of Japanese anywhere in any other country in the world.
And it's part of our vision to create Australia in the future as the most Asia-literate country across the west, across the collective west. And, within that, to have also the greatest numbers of Japanese speakers.
Last night, at the Ambassador's residence, we had dinner with leaders of Japan's new economy. Companies from the services sector, internet based in large part, but beyond our traditional economic engagement in manufacturing and in commodities and in tourism.
And, we spoke at length about the importance in the services sector of expanding that trade because the absolute importance of languages within that.
Right now, the Japanese economy is 75 per cent a services economy, similar with Australia, both developed economies, with a high concentration across the services industries. But, the concerning statistic is that only 8 per cent of our bilateral trade is in the services sector. That's why we had this meeting with new economy leaders last night who represented large new emerging Japanese corporations whose names are not familiar in Australia, but whose companies are engaged in an active services sector, internet based companies here in this country.
So the challenge I left with them, and this morning over breakfast with a meeting of young Japanese political leaders, rising leaders from the LDP, the Democratic Party and from Komeito, people that I've met in the past in various previous visits here at various conferences, and some that I had not met before, was how do we build this future services trade between our two countries?
And that brought us again back to the fact of languages. If you are dealing on the internet and you dealing with internet based companies and you are operating in the same time zone the absolute importance of having high level language skills in both directions cannot be overemphasised.
This morning also I visited the elementary school not far from the Ambassador's residence. And there we saw Australian technology at work. I'm advised that one of the technologies being used in that school is software developed by a Japanese Australian which he is now selling to Japanese schools and selling in the business of selling to Australian schools, so far primarily in Victoria but also prospectively in South Australia.
And how does that software work? Basically it's interactive whereby the study of the language you've got kids today who are exchanging emails from that school with kids in rural Victoria. And, a software system that enables them to select what language they are going to send their email in, to work on the vocabulary, to work on the grammar, and to have a response back from the other end. It's a very interesting and innovative piece of software. And, the innovator is looking for how we take that piece of Australian software and turn it into a means by which we can expand more generally the teaching of Asian languages across Australian schools.
What's our vision? As I said before, making Australia into the most Asia-literate country in the collective west.
Our vision is also underpinned by a $62 million expansion to the national Asian languages study program in Australian schools and the objective over time is to double the number of Australian students studying Asian languages. Japanese, Indonesian, Chinese and Korean. These are priority languages for the future, essential not just for mutual understanding between the countries of the region and ourselves, but absolutely critical in the services trades which will dominate the trade of the 21st century. An important initiative, and one that we'll be discussing further.
If I could add one other thing before taking your questions.
It was a great honour also for Therese and myself to spend time this morning meeting with the Emperor and Empress of Japan. It was a good meeting. And we reflected on the long and positive history in our bilateral relationship. Their Majesties reflected also on the hospitality they received from the Whitlam Government when they last visited Australia in 1973 when the Emperor was Prince Akihito.
I extended to the Emperor and the Empress a formal invitation on behalf of the Government of Australia to visit Australia again. I extended also an invitation to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess to visit Australia. And we look forward to the response from the Japanese Government in due season.
A good visit so far. And I'm looking forward very much to my discussions with Prime Minister Fukuda and other Japanese minister in the period ahead.
Over to you.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, the Japanese are looking for assurances on energy supply security and food supply security, to put it that way, isn't this really an issue for the market? Aren't we going to sell to whoever pays us the most (inaudible).
PM: What I've said to our Japanese friends when they've raised this in both public and private discussions is Australia has been a long term reliable supplier of food, energy and raw materials for more than half a century. We have no intention as a nation to change that for the next half century. We see ourselves as long term secure suppliers, always within the discipline of the market, and as we know, sometimes the market has been kinder to us and sometimes kinder to Japan over that last half century, the same will be the case for the future.
One of the concerns raised by the Japanese side in relation to food security is the debate in this country about the Free Trade Agreement, about agriculture, and also about the degree of Japanese food self-sufficiently. The figures quoted is that level of food self-sufficiency is now at 39 per cent.
This is a live matter in the debate in this country on the future of greater access to this market by Australian agricultural exporters.
A parallel concern has been raised about the impact of climate change on drought in Australia and whether Australia could reliably be a long term effective supplier of agricultural product if this country is going to draw down its domestic levels of food security.
What I've been at pains to point out is that the emergence of droughted circumstances in Australia has occurred over time. And what has happened with our farmers, our food technologists, and our agricultural scientists and those who have expertise in irrigation technologies is that we are great adaptors, we've been adapting over a long period of time, and that we'll continue to do so. And still see ourselves as a long term reliable supplier of food to the rest of the world, including Japan.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, Robert Gates has said in the last 24 hours or so that the United States nuclear arsenal might be more important than (inaudible) because if they built up within Russia (inaudible) conventional weapons, nuclear weapons. How does this tally with your vision for a nuclear weapon-free 21st century?
PM: Well, remember the question of a nuclear free world was first between the superpowers discussed between President Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev in the Reykjavik Summit back in 1985. And the aspiration towards moving to a nuclear-free world has been discussed by many American political leaders since then. And, you recall in my statement the day before yesterday about the combined position of former Secretaries of State Kissinger and Schultz and on the Democratic side, Sam Nunn and Bill Cohen.
I believe there is an emerging consensus, including in parts of the United States, to move again towards this long term goal. I note carefully what Sectary Gates has said. I haven't seen the full text of his remarks. But our resolve is very clear. Our immediate task is to bring back a sense of global commitment and strengthening to the nuclear non-proliferation regime under the NPT, that's the immediate task we set ourselves for 2010, and the build up processes leading to then. But beyond that, we have also restated the historic position of Australian Governments, but with greater urgency, that we must move towards a non-nuclear weapons world. And that, I believe, is important in the global debate.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, what do you hope to achieve on the issue of whaling in your discussions with the Prime Minister and other ministers?
PM: Well, as I've said back in Australia, and as I've said to a number of folk since arriving here in Japan, we hope to explore every possibility of resolving the whaling disagreement between our two countries diplomatically. And that means looking carefully at the provisions of the IWC - the International Whaling Convention - and, of course, at the content of the upcoming meeting of the IWC, which occurs very soon. And further, at the specific reform proposals for the future of the IWC which Australia has already tabled at a previous meeting.
There is a lot to go through on this. As you know, our position on this has not changed. But we have an important international conference coming up on this which involves all the participating states. Our position will be, ‘let us look at the reform of this body for the future, see if we can resolve this problem diplomatically', and that still has some time to go.
Our underlying position has not changed in terms of the objectives.
JOURNALIST: How sensitive do you have to be, Prime Minster (inaudible)
PM: Well, the basis of our policy, and our policy objective, has not changed one bit - hasn't changed one bit. But, in terms of using every avenue of diplomacy available, we'll do that. As I've said in many meetings with Japanese so far, this is a disagreement. It's a strong disagreement. But it is a disagreement among friends. And when you've dealing with friends, you use diplomacy as much as is possible, as that's what I'll be seeking to do with Prime Minister Fukuda tomorrow.
JOURNALIST: Toyota Australia (inaudible)
PM: Well, I think what I'd do is two things. Draw your attention to what President Watanabe said yesterday and, so - “I'm saying that we're very grateful receiving subsidies and funds in response to the costs we pay, the money we pay, and investments we make. And they make it possible to advance our research and development, and our production facilities.”
But in clarification further, I draw your attention to a statement put out by Toyota today where it says, in part, “the Government's critical support and strong desire to introduce new environmentally friendly technology, and promote increased innovation in the Australian automotive industry, enabled Toyota Australia to develop a case for a locally built hybrid Camry.”
And furthermore, they go on to say: “Toyota's decision to build a hybrid Camry in Australia was based on various business considerations. However, the Government's support was a critical factor in securing local production” - that's their statement today.
JOURNALIST: Mr Rudd, you won't be in Australia to greet the Dalai Lama, so you won't be seeing him I understand. One, are you disappointed that you will not be greeting him? And two, would you have greeted him had you not been on this trip?
PM: Oh, absolutely. I mean, I've met the Dalai many times before. And there's nothing remarkable in this. The invitation to meet him came to my office, and therefore, the Acting Prime Minister and as I understand it, the Foreign Minister will be catching up with the Dalai. And he'll be treated with appropriate respect as a major religious leader in the world.
And that, I think, is the right thing to do.
JOURNALIST: Mr Rudd, do you have any reason to fear that your scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Fukuda could be interrupted by the difficulties that he's having in the Diet today and tomorrow?
PM: Look, what I know about international politics is that it always is prosecuted simultaneously with domestic politics. And, I have every sense of optimism in terms of not just meeting with Prime Minister Fukuda, but the content of that meeting as well. Our officials have been working hard on this for quite some time. And I think we're going to have a very good conversation.
Every international political leader faces domestic political challenges. They don't just get turned off when someone arrives. And nor is that the case in Japan. You know the great thing about Japan - robust democracy. They take their democracy with both hands and they go for it. And, you know, good luck Australia.
JOURNALIST: Just going back to the whale issue, you have been stressing pursuing every diplomatic measure that you can. Isn't it the case that in fact, as the New Zealand Government has told you, you don't have a legal leg to stand on in pursuing this in any legal sense, and can you say that you still hold out the prospect of going to the International Court of Justice?
PM: Well, these things always have to be dealt with in sequence. And, I don't intend to engage in a debate with our friends from across the Tasman about our own advice and advices on these matters -
JOURNALIST: Well what is that advice?
PM: ... I don't intend to engage in a public debate about our advices, other than to say that our position hasn't changed. And, we were clear in our position on this quite some time ago. But I'll go on to say this. That, pursuing a diplomatic strategy is not inconsistent or incompatible with preparing for other such strategies, other strategies which may assist in achieving the policy objective that we've got. And our policy objective hasn't changed. It has been clearly stated by us in the past, and it will not change.
You know, we're dealing with a long standing friend and partner with Japan. We'll be deploying every element of our diplomacy. But, as for any commentary from across the Tasman on these matters, I'll leave that to those across the Tasman.
JOURNALIST: Should Belinda Neal be disciplined?
PM: I spoke to Belinda Neal today and I've said to her that there is, and there appears to be, a pattern of unacceptable behaviour here. Furthermore, what I've said to Ms Neal is that in reflecting on that, that it's important that this be dealt with by her appropriately into the future. She's indicated that, as a result of our conversation, that she'll actually be seeking counselling to assist in her own management of her relationships with other people. I've also reminded Ms Neal that none of us, none of us, are guaranteed of a future in politics. None of us are guaranteed of a future in politics.
JOURNALIST: So was she lying, Mr Rudd, when she said that nothing happened and she wasn't abusive?
PM: You've got conflicting versions of events. And so, the view that I've taken, the strong view that I've taken, is that if you look at a series of events that there is, or appears to be, a pattern of unacceptable behaviour. She's indicated that she will be seeking counselling to assist in her management of her relationship with others. And I've reminded her very clearly that none of us are guaranteed of a future in politics.
JOURNALIST: So is that a final warning, is it?
PM: It's a clear cut conversation between me, as the leader of the Parliamentary Labor Party, and as Prime Minister, and with her, as a Member of Parliament. And it was appropriate that that conversation occurred.
JOURNALIST: Just the International Court of Justice advice. Phillip Ruddock actually received advice a couple of times as the former Attorney General and it was clear that it would pretty much be quite useless. Now, talking about the ICJ, you were -
PM: Do you have a different legal form of words to express that?
JOURNALIST: Okay - (inaudible)
PM: Not entirely guaranteed of success, or something?
JOURNALIST: (Inaudible). Talking about the ICJ, you did threaten last year, you said that you were going to take Iran to the ICJ. Is that still your intention? (Inaudible)
PM: There is analysis underway within the Department of Foreign Affairs on that matter. That involves, as you would be aware, a whole series of other international legal instruments. And, we're not yet in receipt of the totality of that advice. It'll take some time.
On the question of Iran's international behaviour, the position of my Government hasn't changed. And that is that states which threaten existentially the existence of other states, as Iran has done in the case of Israel, represent a real problem in terms of the international order. I've been very clear about that, very clear about that.
When the President of Iran says that he intends to ‘wipe Israel off the map' - I would take that as a belligerent statement. And, anyone who thinks that it's not, I think has an interesting interpretation of the English language.
But on the specific question, we're still seeking a full brief from the international lawyers on that matter, and that will take some time.
JOURNALIST: Was it Ms Neal's suggestion that she should undertake counselling or was it yours, and did you raise the prospect of her endorsement as a Labor Party member?
PM: The question of counselling arose in our conversation in terms of how to deal with this matter. And, as I said, she indicated that would be the best way to proceed.
On the question of a future in politics, obviously that goes down to the question of the future of any candidate for the Labor Party's pre-selection as well. So as I said, none of us are guaranteed of a future in politics. But, it's important, its important that she reflects fully on the events of recent times, and acts on the basis -
JOURNALIST: But did you suggest that she seek counselling?
PM: As I said, it arose in the conversation.
JOURNALIST: (Inaudible)
PM: Things arise in conversations, and I think it's an appropriate course of action. She's indicated that what she is minded to do. And I would encourage her in that direction. As I said, no one, repeat, no one, is guaranteed of a future in politics. And, that goes for all of our Members of Parliament.
JOURNALIST: Does she owe the parliament an explanation as her husband has been required to do in New South Wales?
PM: I think the important thing here is to deal with the immediacy of what I've described before as what appears to be an unacceptable pattern of behaviour. And then, secondly, look at how that is best dealt with in terms of her personal circumstances. Hence, the question of counselling, and beyond that, to reflect pretty soberly on the implications for all of this.
As I said, no one, no one, is guaranteed of a future in politics. And I think all MPs, and all of our MPs, need to reflect on that fact.