EMBARGOED UNTIL 1P. M. CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
PRIME MINISTER
SPEECH BY PRIME MINISTER
AUSTRALIA-JAPAN RELATIONS SYMPOSIUM
23 MARCH, 1984 CANBERRA
Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
This symposium on Australia-Japan relations is timely.
In recent weeks both during my visit to Japan and
following my return I have had frequent occasion to
comment on the Australia-Japan relationship: where we have
been, the stage we are at now, and most importantly, where
we are going.
What I have been saying coincides closely with the theme you
have chosen for this symposium " Australia-Japan Relations
at a New Juncture"
The Australia-Japan relationship is of great significance to
both our countries.
It is, however, an evolving relationship and is now poised
to move in new directions.
What is important is that we all appreciate the basis of the
changes that are occurring and, at the same time, retain a
clear perspective on the fundamentals of the relationship.
Among those fundamentals, the most. obvious, but nevertheless
most basic for the relationship, is the fact that Australia
and Japan have substantial shared interests across an
ever-widening spectrum.
There is a notable degree of interdependence between our
countries that reflects directly the complementary, if
changing, character of our two economies.
The stability and quality of the economic relationship has
in turn contributed directly to the close political
relationship that has grown up between our countries.
Political relations between Australia and Japan are
characterised by a degree of' mutual trust and reciprocal
confidence that is only possible between the closest of
friends. We have shared strategic perceptions, parallel
security arrangements with the Unites States, and a common
interest in the stability and development of our region.
My own recent visit to Japan brought home to me that
enumeration of these interests and perceptions is more than
a mere rhetorical flourish it reflects a widely shared
spirit of goodwill and understanding that permeates the
attitudes of Government, business and indeed of the
community at large in both our countries.
The recently released opinion survey by the Nippon Research
Centre reinforces this view. It reveals that Australia was
regarded as one of the most attractive countries for the
Japanese, and that a healthy majority of those surveyed
considered Australia to be of importance and future promise.
These perceptions are engendered and reinforced by the now
extensive cross-cultural links and exchanges between the
people of our countries. These are an essential part of any
healthy, growing relationship between countries.
In the case of Japan and Australia, working holiday schemes
and personal initiatives have seen substantial numbers of
our young people, including my own and Prime Minister
Nakasone's daughters, visiting each other's country with
lasting benefits in terms of a greater understanding of our
different societies.
Indeed, most of the leaders I met while on my recent visit
to Japan had visited Australia during the past decade or so
and there are regular exchanges of visits by parliamentary
delegations, businessmen, academics, journalists, and trade
union leaders which ensure that the depth of positive
feeling between our two nations increases each year.
There is, however, as both Prime Minister Nakasone and I
agreed, scope for development of still closer political
relations between Australia and Japan. Indeed, we have
taken concrete steps to advance the relationship in this
way. I am very much looking forward to Prime Minister Nakasone's
visit to Australia later this year. This visit will serve
to consolidate the real progress made during my own visit to
Japan. Prime Minister Nakasone and I have also agreed on the
development of a closer, more systematic pattern of
consultations between our governments both on crisis issues
as they arise and, more generally, on matters in which both
our countries have shared interests.
A particular matter singled out for such consultation during
my visit to Japan was disarmament.
I was impressed by the coincidence of view between Australia
and Japan on this issue. Both our countries attach great
importance to securing progress in arms control and
disarmament negotiations and will be co-operating in our
efforts to find ways of reducing existing nuclear arsenalp
and limiting the spread of nuclear weapons.
This collaborative effort will be particularly focussed on
the United Nations and other disarmament fora. It will also
find a reflection in the efforts each of us will be making
in the bilateral contacts we enjoy with others to urge
effective action in this crucial area.
But the pattern of consultation between us will not be
confined to disarmament issues alone. A wide spectrum of
issues of mutual interest would benefit from a co-operative
approach between us. We are, after all, both countries
sharing a deep concern and involvement with the interests of
the Asia/ Pacific region. As such there is a natural basis
for co-operative endeavour a basis which should advantage
not only Japan and Australia but all countries within the
region. We aim to explore the possibilities this suggests
more closely and more deliberately.
An area of particular interest to both our countries has
been ways of promoting greater economic co-operation in the
Asia/ Pacific region.
In recent years there has been considerable interest in both
our countries in proposals for the establishment of what is
loosely termed a ' Pacific Community'.
There are, of course, sensitivities attaching to the concept
of a ' Pacific Community'. Some countries within the region,
the Asean states particularly, are wary of developing the
formal mechanisms and relationships that some discussions of
the concept have implied.
For these reasons I think progress in this area must be
gradual, with functional co-operation being expanded
carefully, one step at a time.
For Australia's part, however, we cannot really afford to be
indifferent to the possibilities which exist certainly we
should not be leaving it to others to make the running in
this important area. It is indisputably in Australia's
long-term interest to become significantly more involved in
the Asia/ Pacific region, which is now the fastest-growing
economic region in the world. Accordingly we need to
continue actively exploring all possible avenues for
regional co-operation.
4.
For these reasons I find the proposal, put by Sir John
Crawford and now being considered by the Government, for the
establishment of an Australian/ Pacific Co-operation
Committee both timely and helpful. As suggested by Sir
John, the Committee, drawing on the experience of high
calibre representatives from business, unions, academia and
the public service, would advise the Government on matters
affecting Australia's economic co-operation with neighbours
in Asia and the Pacific.
Practical, well-informed consultative processes of this kind
are needed if Australia is to be well-positioned to
associate itself with emerging trends within the region.
Sound, regionally-based co-operative arrangements also
depend importantly as you would all appreciate on the
cordiality and quality of bilateral relations between
individual countries in the region.
Accordingly it was of quite considerable political
significance that Prime Minister Nakasone and I, in our
Joint Statement in Tokyo, were able to reaffirm the
importance to both our countries of the Australia/ Japan
bilateral relationship.
We reaffirmed our common commitment to the ideals of freedom
and democracy and to further strengthening our co-operation
with other countries in the-r6gion to ensure peace,
stability and prosperity.
This co-operative commitment obviously also extended to
trade relations between our two countries.
Because those relations are of such importance to both our
countries, and because they can so readily colour
perceptions of the relationship as a whole, it was important
that Prime Minister Nakasone formally reiterated to me
assurances Japanese Ministers had previously given to other
Australian Ministers that Japan had no intention of
resolving its trading problems with other countries at
Australia's expense.
We ask for no special privileges from Japan we simply want
a fair go. Japan knows Australia's record as a reliable and
competitive supplier. Australia quite legitimately expects
that record to weigh heavily in the balance of any decisions
taken by Japan on particular trade issues.
I might add that support of an open, multilateral trading
system, in which market access is determined by competitive
performance and in which there is no surrender to political
pressures for bilateral solutions to trading problems, is
the position that Mr Nakasone and I have agreed to take to
the world in our search for a satisfactory basis for a new
round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations.
We have been doing so in the strong conviction that every
effort should now be made to ensure that a multilateral
round should contribute not only to global trade expansion
but also to conditions conducive to even stronger economic
and trading activity by countries of this region.
On the refashioning of bilateral trade relations, the
Australian Government, has formulated a Japan market
strategy aimed at identifying new opportunities and
motivating Australian manufacturing and service companies to
take up the challenge of trying to enter previously untapped
parts of the Japanese market.
An important step in the strategy has been the appointment
of two major Japanese consultant companies--Nomura Research
Institute and Seibu Marketing Information Ser'vices to
review the market for us and report on what Australian
companies have to do to effectively enter the Japanese
market. Their first reports will be available soon and a
seminar program has already been arranged in all capital
cities to inform Australian firms of the results.
Australia, conscious of the possibilities associated with
Japan' s import expansion scheme, also intends sending a high
level trade mission to Japan later this year to examine new
export opportunities. For their part, the Japanese are also
expected to send a major trade mission to Australia to help
identify which Australian products might be of particular
interest to Japan. Visits of this kind should do a great
deal to assist the broadening and diversification of the
existing base of Australia/ Japan trade relations.
The attitude of Australian companies to the task of securing
new niches in the Japanese market will obviously be crucial
to the success of the approach now being developed between
the Australian and Japanese Governments. Those companies
interested will need to develop marketing strategies that
are keenly attuned to the consumer preferences, product
design, packaging, and distribution systems of the Japanese
market. Rather than regard that market as a residual one or as a
useful supplement to other priority marketing interests,
Australian entrepreneurs will need to adopt a deliberate,
long-term approach to the task of selling their product.
What the Government is now seeking to promote is a
deliberate Australian marketing effort in Japan. It is an
effort involving an Australian approach which will be buyer
rather than seller orientated. It is a strategy which, if
successful, will without in any way detracting from the
importance of the Australia/ Japan trade in traditional
commodities provide the basis for a broader-based,
long-term and assured growth in the economic relationship
between our countries.
We believe that the Japanese and Australian vision of a more
open and multilateral regional and international trading
system requires decisions regarding the sourcing of imports
to be taken on genuine economic grounds. Any surrender to
bilateralist pressures, for example in relation to current
beef and coal negotiations, would be an entirely unfortunate
development. Australia cannot look on with equanimity when
our position is threatened by factors quite extraneous to.
normal commercial negotiation.
It would be particularly unfortunate at this time when there
is so much of a positive and constructive character now
being done both to restructure and enhance trading relations
between our two countries. It is also a time when our two
countries are together working closely to strengthen the
regional and world trading systems.
Prime Minister Nakasone and I, for example were in close
agreement on the need for effective action to secure
conditions compatible with a freer flow of international
trade. Prime Minister Nakasone's call for a new round of
multilateral trade negotiations and my own 22 November 1983
call in Bangkok to countries of the region to work together
to secure generally agreed objectives in such negotiations
were both directed to this end.
I am pleased to say my Bangkok initiative is now being
translated into concrete action with a meeting of senior
officials likely to take place in an Asean country in late
April to address the issues involved.
This meeting is a crucial step. It will provide an
opportunity for countries of the region to identify their
interests and to consider how best to attain their
objectives in a multilateral round.
This meeting of senior officials will follow the Conference
being organised in Soeul by the Trade Policy Research Centre
from 13-15 April on " Participation of Developing Countries
in the International Trading system". Australia's Minister.
for Primary Industry, John Kerin will attend that meeting.
As a follow-up to a similar meeting hosted by the Minister
for Trade, Lionel Bowen, in Hobart last year it will provide
a useful opportunity to review trends in the international
trade system.
It will also provide a valuable further impetus to the
efforts of regional countries to secure attention to their
particular interests and concerns.
In reaching this point Australia and Japan, along with the
other countries of the region, have been co-operating
cl1o s ely
7.
This approach could usefully be supplemented by Japanese
interest in helping to establish manufacturing facilities in
Australia in high technology, in new mineral resource
exploration and agriculture-related fields where Japanese
technology can be applied.
Australia's long-term ability to capitalise on emerging
opportunities in the Japanese market will also be heavily.
influenced by Australia's own capacity to manage change in
our industry structures in a way relevant to securing those
opportunities. It is for this reason that the Australian Government is
moving to provide a national framework which will define
more precisely the context within which industrial
development will occur.'
The Minister for Industry and Commerce, Senator Button's
co-ordination of the work of a range of Ministers in areas
relevant to structural change in the economy is a reflection
of the deliberateness with which the Government is
addressing the policy issues involved. EPAC's recent call
for the formulation of an active industry development
strategy complements this and reflects a broader community
interest in addressing these matters systematically.
A particular valuable feature of my recent visit to Japan
was the opportunity I had to discuss with the former
Vice-Minister for International Trade and industry, Mr
Amaya, the Japanese experience with regard to industry
restructuring. Mr Amaya will be coming to Australia next
month, at my request, to put his views on the Japanese
experience in restructuring to Australian Government,
industry, union, and media leaders.
The issues involved are complex and will only allow of
gradual, long-term change. What is nevertheless importantas
I know You would all appreciate is that the various
elements of a positive and constructive policy approach in
this crucial area are now coming into place here in
Australia. This pattern of policy development is also important to
another area of joint Australian/ Japanese interest namely
the liberalisation of international trade.
Both Australia and Japan have a strong shared interest in
the re-establishment of global trade expansion and economic
growth as also in the maintenance of strong trade and
general economic expansion throughout our region.
8.
With such an interest in common and recognisino the
pressures that work against its realisation -I hink it is
very important that a symposium of this kind, involving as
it does such distinguished participants from both Australia
and Japan, should help in the task of defining more
precisely how Australia and Japan individually and together
might contribute to a more prosperous region. If it can do
this at the same time as drawing attention to the
possibilities and pitfalls inherent in the contemporary
Australia/ Japan relationship, it will have made a major
contribution. The task is a difficult one, but its importance should not
be underestimated.
I look forward to hearing the results of your deliberations. f