Mr Imai, gentlemen. I want to thank you for your gracious hospitality because the interaction between the business leaders of Japan and the business leaders of Australia has always been a major and enduring part of the relationship between our two countries.
As I look at the list of companies represented around this table, I am conscious of the huge financial and commercial and economic commitment that has been made by Japanese business to Australia over a period of some 50 years or more. So many of them have become household names in Australia and are very much identified with the development of the Australian economy over past decades.
The signing of the new framework by Mr Koizumi and myself yesterday owes a lot to the energy of the Council. Without their encouragement, it may well be that this very important document would not have been given the emphasis that it was, and I want to thank both the Japanese and the Australian participants in the Council for all of the work they did to achieve the new framework. The Australian economy maintains a very strong level of economic growth and we are anxious to not only consolidate the business and economic links we have with Japan, but also to expand them, and that is why the framework is so very important and that is why it's very significant to the future of the economic partnership between our two countries.
It's always a great pleasure to come to Japan and on behalf of my wife and myself and the other members of my party, I want to thank you collectively for the contribution you have made to making our visit so memorable. We will always place huge significance on our relationship with Japan and this visit has been another opportunity to emphasise that.
Thank you.
[ends]