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Joint Media Release
Australian Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile and Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer
30 April 2001
Australia- Japan Conference for the 21ST Century Sets New Directions
Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer today welcomed as "innovative and forward-looking" the recommendations announced by participants at the Australia-Japan Conference held in Sydney during the last two days.
Mr Vaile and Mr Downer said the Government would be examining a number of recommendations coming out of the conference on regional security issues as well as economic, scientific, cultural and educational issues. A key recommendation is that an Australia-Japan Trade and Investment Facilitation Agreement be considered by both countries. This would pave the way for enhanced trade and investment in both the traditional and emerging export sectors.
Mr Vaile said that while Japan had long been Australia’s largest trading partner, there had been significant changes globally, within the region and within both countries.
"It is important that Australia and Japan take a fresh look at what we can do individually and together to the mutual benefit of our countries, the region and the world," Mr Vaile said.
Mr Downer said Australia and Japan had a very close and diverse friendship.
"As partners in the region, we can look forward to building on the strong relationships we have with countries in the Asia Pacific. We share important strategic, political and economic interests. We are both developed countries, democracies and important allies of the United States with a shared interest in regional stability and prosperity," Mr Downer said.
The conference was an initiative of the Australian and Japanese prime ministers which brought together 50 eminent people from the two countries.
Conference co-chairs Jerry Ellis and Minoru Murofushi announced a package of recommendations for future action on economic, scientific, strategic and cultural issues, and underlined the continuing importance of the relationship to each country. They expressed confidence that, with commitment and imagination, Australia and Japan could continue to build on, and add vigour to, the bilateral relationship as they move into the 21st century.
FA52_01
Local Date: Thursday, 17-May-2012 16:31:35 EST