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LUNCHEON IN HONOUR OF HIS EXCELLENCY MR. HAYATO IKEDAI
PRUE~ MINISTER OF JA-PAN
at
PARLIAMENT HOUSE, CANUBERRA,
ON 30TH SEPTEMBER, 1963
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE RT. HON. SIR ROBERT MENZIES
Sir, You are the Prime Minister of a nation which has such
a great part to play, not only in the Pacific Area, but in the
world, You are, therefore, on that ground alone, welcome in this
country ( Hear, hear) ( Applause), and it is my pleasure, Sir, on
behalf of the Australian Parliament, to express that welcome in
words. It would, Sir, as I am sure you will agree, be idle
to pretend that the war did not leave grievous wounds upon
Australia's feelings towards Japan. It is the basis of friendship
that we should recognise that f~ act. There were and there
are bitter memories in many hearts.
But, Sir, it is in the Australian character not to
prolong hatreds or to live on past events. ( Hear, hoar) ( Applause)
We are essentially a forward-looking people, with a great instinct
for optimism and friendship. We want to live not only in peace,
but in the widest co-operation with other nations. Your
predecessor in your great office, Mr. Kishi, made us a successful
visit a few years ago, I myself hCAve visited your country twice
during my term of office. You have sent us a series of most
distinguished Ambassadors ( Applause), whose work, not only In
the re-establishment of good will, but also in the handlingof
the practical problems of trade and commerce, has been of
immense value to both our countries. Our own Ambassadors to
Japan, I do not doubt I hove one of them here today ( Applause)-
have performed similar services at your end.
Some years after the echoes of the war had died
away, we decided, in this country, as a considered matter of
policy, that security and co-operation in the Pacific should be
preferred to the prolongation of enmity; that we should learn
to live with each other; that we should concentrate upon our
common interests and be aware of our common dangors. In the
achievement of all these great objectives, Japan has shown
herself a willing co-operator. In the world atmosphere of
recent times Japan has resumed her place as a great power, with
remarkable economic development and skill, and with a growing
willingness, I am happy to note, to play an effective part in
the solution of the world's economic problems. Australia herself,
a small nation but a large traer~ has been developing commercial
relations with Japan which, in absolute as well as in relative
terms, have been of great value to both our countries. Our
Trade Treaties with you have marked our close relations with
you. Their efficacy abd I point this out with some sati~ faction
has depended, not only upon the letter of the deal, but upon
genuine good faith. ( Hear, hear) But Sir, trade though
important, is not all. Our contacts with you at all human
levels have been growing. Whatever the torments of an earlier
period, I think we can all agree here today that we can now look
back upon a decade of most civilised association. Wie wanit this
association to continue, and to grow stranger nnd I am sure, Sir,
that you shore this desire,
2-
Now, Sir may I turn from this to look very, very
briefly at some of the probloms of the present and the future.
We aro all concerned with the expansionary threats of Communist
politics, philosophy destructive philosophy. Neither you nor
we have any aggressive intentions, but we must stand ready to
protect our owm freedoms. This readiness does not simply connote
military preparedness. It involves the establishment, in the
eyes of the world, of the fact that free communities can provide
for their citizons growing living standards and swift nationall
development without the sacrifice of individual freedom in the
interests of a dictatorship or a powerful few. ( Applause)
I'e believe that you, Mr. Prime Minister, and your
nation? share these ideas. We believe if I may say so withQut
impertinence to a welcome and distinguished guest, tha. t Japan
must and will play a great and constructive part in this
historic drama. One of the great causes of tension in the world i.
the economic differences which exist between the great industrial
powers on the one hand, and the relotively underdeveloped
countries which depend upon primary production and therefore
suffer from instability of prices and somue uncertainty of markets.
Those differences, unless a conscious effort is made to reduce
them, will tend to increase, and for the very good reason, or
the very bad reason, that the rate of growth in highly industrialised
countries, thanks to the rapid improvement of technologies
and plant, tends to be faster than it is in countries follow~ Lng
farming and pastoral pursuits.
We believe that these facts call for far-reaching
policies on the part of the great industrial powers designed
not only to assist development in newer countries lut also to
assure reasonable, stable and profitable markets lor the products
of that development. Sir, Japan is one of the great industrial powers.
Aifter a necessary period of re-adjustment, you have made enormous
strides forward, with immnense skill and the most admirable
industry. You have? for us, a special significance in the South-
West Pacific in which your influence, a great and growing one,
can do much toassist political and economic stability and the
elimination of old or new animosities, In short, Mr. Prime
Minister, we bulieve that in this new political and social world,
a world which is in the making, Japan has a now and historic
function and destiny.
Small and remote as we may seem in Australia when
viewed against the world background we have the resources and
the skill and the energy to grow and become a powerful co-operator
in the common cause of humanity. But great or small you great,
we small we all need friends with common interests and comimon
ideals. The world does not need nor should it tolerate or
encourage, the perpetuation of differences. Let us rather build
upon those good things that we have in cor. on. If the nations
arc to be free and prosperous, friendship and co-operation and
mutual understanding must be our common aima.
Mr. Prime Minister, your visit is a powerful contribution,
in itself, to this end. We are delighted that you are
here, both giving and receiving good will.