E&OE....................
Prime Minister and Mrs Obuchi, other ministers of the Japanese Government
and other distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
Can I say first of all on behalf of my wife and myself and all of
the other members of the Australian party how very grateful we are
for your great courtesy and your great hospitality. Not only in affording
us this splendid dinner tonight but also the friendship that you have
extended to us since we arrived from Australia last night.
The relationship between Australia and Japan does have a very special
quality. It is a magnificent model to the rest of the world of how
two countries with vastly different cultures and very different histories
can come together and achieve through the pooling of their common
objectives and their common goals a great and broadly based friendship.
Japan is Australia's best customer. We value your custom. We strive
on all occasions to be reliable suppliers. We like to provide good
after sales service and if there are any customer complaints we like
to hear about them. But the relationship is more than an economic
relationship. It is also a deepening cultural and political relationship.
There are now literally tens of thousands of young Australians every
year in our schools who are learning the Japanese language. And through
that coming to know the culture of your country, the mysteries and
the intrigue and the fascinations of Japanese life. And that linkage
particularly through our young people is really the foundation of
the further growth and the further development of the relationship
between our two countries.
It is a relationship now which is very mature but there are a number
of people in this room tonight as there were at the luncheon today
who worked together in those years immediately after World War II
to build the foundation of the modern bilateral relationship. And
particularly the businessmen who worked so hard and produced such
very good results. And those of us who enjoy the modern maturity of
the relationship pay tribute and give due credit to so many of those
who trailblazed more than 40 years ago.
The Prime Minister and I today have talked extensively not only about
our bilateral relationship but we have also talked about the goals
that we share in common in our region. The importance of achieving
ever expanding trade horizons. The importance of helping the less
fortunate countries in our region rebuild from the adverse effect
of the Asian economic downturn. And I had the opportunity today, Prime
Minister, to say to you how much I admired the work that you in particular
have done to strengthen and revive the Japanese economy. And it is
clear already that benefit is being enjoyed by Japanese industry and
the Japanese people from the measures that your Government has undertaken.
The strength of the Japanese economy is not only important to the
Japanese people but the strength of the Japanese economy is of immense
importance to the region and the entire world. Japan is the second
most powerful economy in the world. Japan has played a major role
in the wealth and the prosperity not only of our region but of the
entire world over the last 30 years. And we follow very closely and
very encouragingly the leadership that your Government is giving in
bringing about a strengthening of the Japanese economy.
We have, as you know, undertaken a number of reform measures in Australia
and we are pleased with the strength of the Australian economy in
1999. It is stronger now than it has been for more than 30 years.
We have the lowest number of industrial disputes in Australia for
almost 90 years. And we are an increasingly attractive country in
which to invest.
I do remember my discussion with Mr Takeshita at Kirribilli House
in Sydney. It was late in October, we did talk in a very lively fashion
about the goods and services tax. It was not only a lively discussion
but may I say from my part it was a relaxed discussion because it
was after the election and we had been returned. But that particular
meeting brought home to me the continuity of the relationship between
our two countries not only at a political level but at other levels
too because your colleague - and I know how close you have been in
political life - your colleague had served with very great distinction
in a large number of posts in the Japanese Government over a long
period of time. And I know that when he conveyed to me your personal
good wishes it was no mere diplomatic formality but it was a very
keenly felt personal communication.
So, Prime Minister, it is a real privilege to be here. The relationship
between our two countries continues to deepen, it continues to get
better. But importantly you never take those relationships for granted.
And today we have agreed on a number of things including a millennium
conference involving not only our political leaders but also our business
figures and our academic leaders to reflect upon what the character
of the bilateral relationship should be as we move into the next millennium.
And I am very grateful for your immediate and spontaneous endorsement
of that particular proposal.
So in thanking you, Prime Minister, and thanking you Mrs Obuchi for
your gracious hospitality to Janette and to both of us can I invite
all of you to join me in another toast. This toast will be to his
Majesty, the Emperor of Japan, to you Prime Minister, to your wife
and beyond that to the enduring friendship between the people of Japan.
[ends]