NQ DATE
M/ 158 31 October 1973
WHITIJAMV/ OHIRA PRE1SS CONFERENCE, TOKYO ; 1
Following is a transcript of the joint press
conference held by the Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr Ohira,
and the Australian Prime Minister, Mr Whitlam, at the
conclusion of the Australia/ Japan Ministerial Committee
talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tokyo, on
October 1973.
Mr Ohira We have just completed the two day second meeting
of the Australia/ Japan Ministerial Committee.
This is the second meeting of this Committee, and
is the first full-scale and highest level contact between our
two countries since the Labor Party came to office in December
last year. You are all very familiar with the situation between
Japan and Australia. Our relations are such that for Japan, Australia is
the second largest trading partner next only to the United States.
For Australia, Japan is her largest partner.
But it is not only that our relations have grown to a
tremendous level quantitatively.
I want to emphasise that the relationship between our
two countries has come to an enormous completeness, that of
mutual dependence and complementarity.
This, however, does not mean that there are no problems
on each of our sides.
There are problems on each of our sides.
But I believe on all of these issues or programs
between us we have been able to conduct a very effective exchange
of views without reservations, a dialogue that has been very
useful for our relationship.
On our part, the Japanese Ministers who have taken part
are deeply satisfied with the accomplishment of this meeting.
Before I answer your specific questions, permit me to
raise two matters that are worthy of particular note:
One as you know, for some time the government of
Japan had been asking the Australian government for the
conclusion of a Treaty of Commerce and Navigation.
At the present meeting, Prime Minister Whitlam. has
told us that indeed Australia today is thinking about such a
treaty, but not just a Treaty of Commerce and Navigation but in
terms of a new treaty that would formalise the Japan/ Australian
relations on a much broader basis.
And, in the meeting between Prime Minister Whitlam and
our Prime Minister, Mr Tanaka, Mr Tanaka expressed his
wholehearted agreement to the proposal explained by Mr Whitlam.
So from now on between the two governments the
officials will be racking their brains and will be vorking hard
to come up with a draft of a treaty after thoroughly studying
what kind of relationship there should be between our two
countries, as we want to respond to the new age.
We hope to produce a draft that would fully answer the
expectations placed upon us by the two Prime Ministers.
Salient point number two, energy and resourtes matters,
which have of late brought about much tension in the world,
is a matter of particular concern to Japan.
Japan has vital interest in a stable and continuous
supply of energy and resources. 00 -a
Australia, on the other hand, has the capacity to
supply a large quantity of energy and other natural resources.
And, through supplying such resources, Australia seeks
to increase the opportunities for employment of its citizens and
thus to raise the standard of living and welfare of its people.
Therefore, the current energy and resources crisis
has helped to bring to the fore the relationship of mutual
dependence and complementarity between our two countries.
At the various levels our two governments will now
begin close contact, and we are sincerely desirous that our
already close relationship be further enhanced.
Finally, I would like to say that, as you have been
able to observe, our guest, Prime T-inister Whitlam, is a man of
informal disposition and charming character.
I think that for both the Japanese and the Australians
we are lucky that a person like Mr W-hitiam. has come to such close
contact with Japan, and I take this opportunity to once again
wholeheartedly welcome the delegation led by Mr Whitlam and
appreciate the outcome of this conference.
Mr Whitlam: Mr Ohira, I am very happy indeed, in the presence of
our countries Ambassadors and press, to appear with you on this
occasion. This has been a very significant few days in the
history of Australia and, I hope, in the history of Japan.
I join with you in expressing satisfaction at all the
proceedings and the results of our meeting.
I was here, also as Prime Minister, to have discussion
with Mr Tanaka. I did so on the morning of my arrival last Friday.
I conclude with another on the morning of our
departure tomorrow.
We had a very memorable and enjoyable dinner as his
guests last night, and then yesterday and today, there was the
second Ministerial Meeting.
I had previously, two and a half years ago, met you,
sir, and Mr Sakurauchi, Mr Nakasone, in Tokyo.
One year ago, you, and Mr Nakasone in Canberra.
My colleag-ues9 Dr Cairns and Mr Crean, have already
been here as Ministers and have met you.
Others of my ministerial colleagues have also been
received by you.
In all these individual meetings that wve have had, in
government or in opposition, we have formed a very high degree
of understanding with the government of Japan.
4-
And now, collectively, as Australian M~ inisters, the
largest number of Ministers ever to leave Australia to visit
any other country or for any other purpose, we are happy inaeed
with the outcome of these discussions concerning the relations
between our two countries.
You didn't mention, perhaps you were leaving it for
me, that in many ways the highlight of our visit was at
Mr and Mrs Tanaka' s dinner last night when the Prime Minister
of Japan suggested that the outcome of our deliberations, the
treaty, might be known as the Treaty of Nara.
It was an appropriate title in Japan, commemorating
the significance of Japan's ancient capital and cultural centre.
From Australia's point of view it is an appropriate A4
name for the Nippon-Australia Relations Agreement0 O14-0
In both countries the name will be honourable.
There has been a change irñ the attitude of the
Australian government to relations with Japan.
Earlier there had * been reluctance, a negative
attitude, towards the proposal that Japan had made for some
years for a broad-ranging treaty between our two countries.
0 My government was favouarable to the idea.
It took a posit Lyve attitude towards it and from the
first discussion that Mr Tanaka and. I had, in your presence,
Mr Ohira, last Friday morning, through all the intervening
formal and informal. meetings between us, the idea was greeted
warmly. So in the next few weeks and months we can expect our
officials to be discussing this matter.
We each made suggestions as to the content of the
agreement in our concluding plenary session this morning.
But this is a memorable occasion0
It is very satisfyang to the Australian Delegation,
and we are happy indeed that the Prime Minister of Japan,
himself, should have given such a warm reception to the idea
and should have suggested such a memorable name for it0
I must say, as I said to you privately, the whole
of the Australian Delegation, the Ministers, the officials,
have been delighted with the arrangements which have been
made in Tokyo and also in the provinces.
We have been most warmly received and we have a better
understanding of all the issues which have been raised by Japan.
We believe Japan has a better understanding of the
issues that Australia has raised.
But it is typical of the efficiency and courtesy of
this country, the host co-Untry, that wherever we went,
arrangements were so pleasant and effective, and we thank you,
* 0 Mr Ohira, very much for the arrangements over which you presided,
in the conference and outside it.
Quest ion:
0 Mr Ohira, I would like to ask you whether you are
concerned by Mr Whitlam's announcement at the meeting yesterday
that the Australian government in future aims to prevent any
further foreign ownership of Australian energy resources?
Mr Ohira.-In regard to important energy resources, the
government of Australia desires to establish their own national
ownership and control, a desire and aspiration that I can fully
understand and appreciate.
However, this policy is a selective policy, as I
understand it, and it does not apply to all minerals
necessarily. There is a reservation to that policy, namely, that
the important surplus will be available for export.
This is an important point number one.
Another important point, point number two, is that
Australia has assured us that this policy is not going to be
implemented in any way to discriminate against any particular
country. All countries will be dealt with in fair fashion and
I fully understand Australia's policy in so far as these
reservations are concerned.
Our question is, how we can best be sure of a stable
supply of the resources or minerals that we seek on such a basis.
Our job is to explore how we can be sure about that
and I am sure we can find a way.
-6-
Quesion: The Japanese business circles are very interested
in your Pilbara project.
We understand that Australia seeks to develop this
entire region industrially and the Japanese business circles
wish to co-operate to that end.
The Japanese business interests seek to have equity
participation in that project but I wonder what was the tenor
of' your discussions yesterday?
Could you tell us, Mr Whitlam, more specifically about
Australian views with regard to the Japanese participation in
this project, e. g. will Japanese equity participation be
possible only through AIDO?
Mr Whitlam: There was some discussion about the Pilbara and
also about the AIDC.
It was not, however, a conclusive discussion because
it will not be probably until the middle of 1974 that the
Australian National Government and the Western Australian
State Government will receive the pre-feasibility report0
At this stage, I think one can only generalise to
this extent0 In so far as natural gas is involved in the development
of the Pilbara, the objective will be to have wholly Australian
ownership or control and the AIDC may be one of the implements
for achieving that0
And, accordingly, any overseas participation in the
natural gas would have to be through the AIDC. eO( P"
On the other hand, iron ore is clearly a componenlyp arc
in any development of the Pilbara, and this may be, at various
degrees, either a complete steel works or say pelletisation.
In neither case would total Australian ownmership be
required, and while the AIDO might participate in the ownership
of any iron ore developments in the Pilbara, it would not be the
only component in such developments.
And, overseas interests would not have to go through
the AIIDC as regards the development of the processing of iron
ore
-7-
Question: Mr Whitlam, what is the most important achievement of
your talks as far as Australia is concerned?
Mr Whitlam: To hear, at first hand, to explain at first hand, the
attitudes, the policies, the programs, of the two governments.
I suppose one can add also the response by the
Australian government to the longstanding Japanese proposal for
a broad bilateral treaty between the two countries.
Question: Mr Whitlam has suggested that Asian and Pacific
nations join in an organisation some-thing like the organisation
for the American States and the organisation of African States.
What is japan's position in this proposal?
Mr Ohira: What kind of machinery for regional co-operation should
be created, if any, is a study for the government of Japan.
As you know, Asia is a highly complex region where
interests of many big powers are intertwined.
If we are to produce a truly effective machinery for
effective co-operation, we need to exert tremendous efforts to
produce many ideas.
Speaking honestly, I don't think time is quite mature
as yet, in my judgement, to produce any idea now, but I think
it is a proposal that the government of Japan should continue
to examine as a concept.
Question: When do you see a target date, so to speak, by which
you wish to complete discussion and preparation for this Nara
Treaty? For example, can you foresee the signing of such a
treaty by the time of the third meeting of this Committee
next year?
Mr Ohira: There has been no specific agreement between the two
countries as to by when they should produce such a treaty.
But we are to start our work immediately.
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I don't think there is a need for us to wait until
the occasion of the third meeting next year of this Ministerial
Committee. On the Japanese side we feel we must finish the work
and coincide the treaty way before that.
Mr Whitlam: I would agree with what Mr Ohira has said.
There will be two occasions in Australia next year
when Japanese Ministers will be present.
One will be the third of the Ministerial M'eetings
and there will also be, of course, the occasion, we expect, of
the visit by the Prime Minister of Japan to Australia.
It may well be that the treaty will be concluded before
either event but it would be signed before or at either of those
occasions. 0
Question: What is the Japanese reaction to the Australian
suggestion that although we don't want any overseas ownership
of our energy resources, we still want their assistance both
financially and technologically?
Do you think Japanese interests would be prepared to
put in money and technology to ensure a continuation of supply
of these energy resources?
Mr Ohira: Japan does not seek any ownership or control of
natural resources. This is not only in Australia but with respect of any
resources producing country.
What Japan seeks is to assure herself of a stable
supply of natural resources.
Now, in trying to secure this supply, if the business
interests concerned see that the economics favour such an
arrangement in response to the request of the resources
producing countries, then we should not sp~ areany efforts in
extending our co-operation financially or technically.