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4J) AUSTRALIA. t
PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS 24 MARCH 1977
EMBARGO: 7.15 p. m.
ADDRESS TO THE AUSTRALIAN JAPAN RELATIONS SYMPOSIUM, CANBERRA
It is a great pleasure to be here to open the 1977 Symposium on
Australian Japan Relations. As one has come to expect the Symposium
brir. gs together a distinguished group of Japanese and
Australiarn speakers and participants. The attendance at-this
year's symposium demonstrates the interest of a wide cross-section
of the community in Australian Japan relations in general.
The Symposium is a first rate example of the value of forums of this
kind. They encourage discussion of all aspects of Australian Japanese
relations. They enable contacts to be developed amongst many
Australians, and between Australians and Japanese interested in the
relations between our two countries.
In an open democratic society such as we have, foreign relations
are not and cannot be exclusively the product of Government
action. They must be the joint creation of people and
Government if they are to reflect the interests and aspirations
of Australian society. No approach to other nations can possibly
be effective unless it rests on a broad public support.
The work of public and semi-public groups and institutions such
as the Australia Japan Socicty, the Australia . Japan Business
Cooperation Committee and the Centre for Continuing Education
makes a vital contribution both to establishing priorities in
Australian foreign relations and in reflecting and educating
public opinion.
In our first year of office this Government has given pre-eminence
to our relations with Japan. As Prime Minister, my first visit
to a major power and my first visit outside Oceania, was to
Japan. The first visit by any Minister in my Government was a
visit by Mr Anthony, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for
National Resources, and Overseas Trade, to Japan.
We have placed great weight on consolidating our relationship with Japa
and inproving mutua understandinug so as to furt he r strengthen
the links between us.
Clearly the quality of the relations betwleen Australia and Japan
is of enormous importance to both our countries.
Japan is by far OL, largest trading partner, outranking the
United States, and the European Economic Community, including
Britain. In 1975/ 76 more than onc-third of a1] Il Austi-alian / 2
2.
exports went to Japan a higher proportion than went to
the United States and the E. E. C. countries combined.
As a source of imports, Japan is only slightly less important
to Australia, standing second to the United States and
accounting in 197S/ 76 for nearly one-fifth of Australian imports.
The development of trade between our two countries in a comparatively
short period of time has been nothing short of remarkable.
It owes much to the vision of the men who twenty years ago
signed the Commerce Agreement between our two nations.
Since the Agreement was signed the trade between us has
grown fifteen-fold. It is now the seventh largest trade flow in
the world. The reason for this is plain. Our trade is
complementary; Australia has become a major source of raw
materials and food stuffs for Japan, and in return, Japan is
a significant source of manufactured goods for Australia.
It has been suggested, on occasion, that because of the importance
of the Japanese market for Australian exports, and of Australia's
natural resources for Japan, there is a substantial degree of
dependence of both our countries on one another. A dependence
that some people regard as being undesirable.
It is my belief that such suggestions misconceive
the benefit both our nations obtain frominternational
trade. It is in both our interests for trade
to be developed on the basis of the most efficient use of our
resources. Australia hs long admired and through international trade benefitted
from the Japanese capacity to grow at a faster rate than any
other country in the Western world. Japan has both stimulated and
benefitted from our primary and mining industries.
While Japanese economic growth in the medium term is not expected
to match the spectacular expansion of previous periods, the prospects
are for significant growth which should provide ample opportunities
for expansion of our bi-lateral trade.
We believe Australia's interests are best served by a sustained growt
in our export markets not a short term boom which would ignite
inflationary pressures, and be followed by a down turn. C
It is of prime importance that the major industrialised countries avo
a resurgence of inflationary pressures. I understand that Japan, und
the guidance of Prime Minister Fukuda, himself a distinguished
economic administrator, has a similar approach.
Japan is important to Australia not only for economic reasons.
Japan is a major power in regional and indeed, in world politics.
This is evident in the attention that Japan comnmands from the
other great powers. They recognise the important role that Japan
has to play in maintaining stability in Asia, and
the influence which Japan can bring to bear on tneir policies
and the outstanding rcs i lienlce tha't Japan has shown in
international pol-itics-.4
Japan has, however, firmly rejected not only the nuclear weapons
option but any programme of major rearmament. This was
emphasised yesterday by the Japanese Prime Minister.
Japan, he said, relied for its safety and survival on the good
fait'. a of other nations and the Japanese American alliance.
While Australia and Japan trace their cultural inheritance through
different lines, it is clear we have a great deal in common.
We are both democratic, industrialised, island nations.
We are both located in the
Western Pacific and both have great interests in the peace and
security of that region. We both have a special Treaty relationship
with the United States. These common interests between our
nations serve to strengthen our relationship. ' It has been my
Government's concern in close cooperation with the Government of
Japan to develop and further strengthen it by providing a
framework within which our relations can achieve their full
potential; by consolidating and giving new impetus to our
economic relationship by recognising the mutual interests of
both countries in being stable and reliable supp'liers and markets
for one another; by creating the machinery and spirit -to deal
with the strains and differences inseparable from hard bargaining
of commercial matters; and by broadening our contacts in
political, cultural and social areas as a means of promoting
greater understanding between the peoples of our two countries
and to complement and reinforce our economic relations.
Both Australia and Japan hav'e taken important initiatives in
these areas. In 1971, an Australian Japan Ministerial Committee
was first proposed by the Japanese Minister for International Trade.
For Australia, entering such an agreement was a unique undertaking.
During my visit to Japan, the Japanese Prime Minister and I
signed the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between our
two countries. This was the first Treaty of its kind entered
into by theAustralian Government. Signature of that Trea-: ty
was preceded in February 1976 by ratification of the Australia
Japan Cultural Agreement. In April 1976 we established, by
Act of Parliament, the Australia Japan Foundation. This was
an important step. Together with the cultural agreement, it
represented a pronounced recognition of the need to broaden
and deepen the relationship between the peoples of Australia
and Japan.
The cumulative effect of these steps and the joint efforts by
the Australian and Japanese Governments was most evident in
January this year, when the Australian Japan Ministerial Committee
met for the fourth time. This meeting -at which Australia was
represented by fLour Cabinet Ministers -was of the first
importance both in terms of atmosphere and practical achiievement. 4
y I note some of thesc achievements. Agreement was reached on
the Australian beef quota. The Japanese Government indicated
that it Would endeavour to ensure that imports of coal and
iron ore from Australia during 1977 would be maintained at
1976 levels. Agreement was reached on the extension of port
access arrangements for Japanese tuna fishing boats.
The Japanese side expressed appreciation of the new climate
that has developed in Australia in the resources area, and
commented favourably on the Government's overseas investment
policy. Australia welcomed the intention of two senior Japanese
missions one on investment and the other on energy matters
to visit Australia early in 1977. On uranium the Japanese
expressed full understanding of the Australian Government's
dcison to await the second report of the Fox Committee.
Agreement was reached to examine the possibility of reducing air
fares between Australia and Japan in the interest of facilitating
contacts between our two peoples. I am happy to draw
particular attention to that initiative as it sets a sequel to
discussion at this Symposium last year.
Beyond these practical achievements, the Ministerial Meeting
reflected,-however, an even more important outcome. It was the
consensus of all participants in the discussions that the
relationship as a whole has been put on a new level and its
importance and potential were now more fully understood. This was
as apparent in the directness and openness of discussions
as it was in the spirit of mutual understanding that prevailed.
Despite the progress already achieved, my Government remains
determined totake a long term view of our relations with Japan
and to ensure that the future is as certain and as productive
as it can possibly be made. Our determination will be evident
from the Government's decision to establish an Ad Hoc Working
Committee on Australia Japan Relations. The Committee has
been charged with two responsibilities: making recommendations
on the machinery that might be necessary to enhance relations
between Australia and Japan; and suggesting measures to avoid
or alleviate areas of possible difficulty in these relations over
the next several years. The persons from outside the Government
whom I have invited to joint the Committee will, because of their
knowledge and experience, be able to make a significant
contribution to the Government's understanding of the direction
of that long term relationship. The Committee is to consult widely
within the Australian community and it will liaise closely with
the Australia Japan Foundation.
Despite the closeness of the ties and interests of our two nations,
there is still a great deal to be done to build a broad
understanding between our two peoples and foster mutual awareness.
I believe that the Australia Japan Foundation will play a
major part in the development of this understanding.-
The Foundation whose members were appointed in 1976, aIjms to
achieve these goals by encouraging people to people contacts, and
by promoting study, and other activities to give the people of
both countries greater access to one another's culture and society.
The Foundation has an unusually broad field to work in. It is
not initended to be a body limite-d to what people conventionall ' y
consider cultural exchange. It i~ s concerned with the
development of a multif aceted and wide-ranging relationship
between the peoples of our two nations.
Cultural life not only exists in the art galleries, the concert
halls, or even the trading table. The Foundation's programmes
reflect this. So far its initiatives include: the establishment
of a one-year intensive Japanese language course at the A. N. U.
geared directly to those already in business, government, or the
professions; the encouragement of studies of the various barriers
to communication between the peoples of our two countries;
and the provision of financial support to assist people in each
country with common professions or other interests, to make
contact with each other. It also has its own travel grant
schene whose first recipients will travel to Japan in the
next month. The Foundation's work is designed to get beyond
the exotic and the unusual to those things in which many
people in both countries can find immediate common ground.
I was pleas. ed to notice a considerable diversity of interests
in the first group of Australians sponsored by the Foundation
to visit Japan shortly: a housewife concerned with child care
schemes; a technical catering teacher; an agricultural
scientist; an art teacher; a musician; a marriage counsellor;
and a prisons administrator. This diversity of interests indicates
that the Foundation is on the right track. A new, and in many ways,
challenging track in the area of cultural exchange.
Work will not be completed overnight, of course, but the attention
paid to culturall matters should do much to complement
conunerci. al rel ations and enrich our own relationshin.
So far today I have mainly concentrated on the bi-laterial aspects
of the Australia Japan relationship. But that relationship
cannot exist in a vacuum, nor do I consider that it should
be an exclusive one. It is a relationship which even as it
bring:; Australia and Japan the mutual benefits of prosperity
and progress, must also be so designed as to lend momentum
to the economic advancement and cooperation of the countries
in Asia and the Pacific as a whole.
As the two major economically developed democracies in our
region, we have a major responsibility in this respect. One which
ultimately requires us to interpret our relationship in the wider
context of global processes and problems. This includes
participation in the dialogue between developed and developing
countries on a new international economic order, which has
become a major issue in economic relations. There are some who believe
that the resolution to the economic problems faced by many less
developed countries lies in fundamentally changing
the international economic system. Australia believes
that there is a . need for change in policies between nations
and sometimes for significant change. To the extent that the call
for a new international economic order is a call for practical
and viable changes in economic policies affecting the international
system, it should have the support of all nations.
But -the Japanese example should make us hesitate to try to effect a
fundamental change in the system itself. The rapid growth of
the Japanese economy over the last 25 years during which time
real per capita income in Japan has increased no less than / 6
five-fold is an outstanding example of what can be achieved
in a mrarket-orientated system. Japan is, of course, somewhat
differently placed than Australia.. We remain a net importer
of capital. while Japan is moving towards the undertaking of
a traditional capital exporter role that many of the Western
European countries played in earlier years. Unlike Australia,
Japan will need to continue to run a surplus on current accounts.
Only by this means can Japan play the role of a net exporter
of capital.
The Australian Government consequently believes that moves
to force Japan to adjust its external poi~ icies, so as to produce
an external balanced or deficit position, are misplaced.
S ' uch moves would be inconsistent with the long term development
needs, not only of Australia but also of those less developed
countries that need continuing injections of development capital
if they are to lift their standards of living to more acceptable
levels. Australia believes that making improvements within the
essential framework of the existing international eco-nomic system
holds out the greatest hope for the economic progress of all nations.'
Both Austrailia and Japan, each in our separate way, will seek
in their trading in other arrangements to take positive
steps to help meet the needs of countries less strongly placed
than our own.
Ladies and gentlemen, I accepted this invitation with great
pleasure. In concluding, I express the appreciation which I, and
believe most Australians, feel for the far-sighted imagination
and dedication which bodies like the Australian Japan Socicty and
the Australian Japan Business Cooperation Committee have shown
in pursuing the task of bringing Australia and Japan together.
To an audience well versed in Australia Japan relationships,
as yourselves, there is no need for-me to specify the
substantial work which has already been made in this Symposium
and those dedicated bodies which are its sponsors.
It is sufficient to say that the Australian Japan Businesses
Cooperation Committee together with the commercial interests
which are its individual members, have been largely responsible
for generating within the space of 25 years, the spectacular
trading relationship which we have with Japan. It has been the
work of the Australia Japan Society to complement the growth of
that trading relationship by creating the public interest
in, and information, on Japan, and to give our mutual relations new
breadth and depth expanding * beyond the purely commercial.
The relationship that now exists between Australia and Japan
is a tribute to your efforts as much as it is to those of
Government. In approaching and managing an area of broader
and even stronger relations with Japan, we look to you for . the
same contribution of leadership and inspiration that you have provide(
in the pas-t.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, it is with very great pleasure
that I declare the Fif1-th Australia Japan Relationship Symposium, open
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