Australia Japan Conference

The Fifth Australia-Japan Conference was held in Tokyo on 19 November 2008. Established in 1999, Australia-Japan Conferences are significant events on the bilateral Australia-Japan calendar and have generated and promoted new ideas and initiatives in support of the bilateral relationship. This year was no exception.

This year’s Conference, hosted by Japan, was co-chaired by Sir Rod Eddington, Chairman of the Australia-Japan Business Cooperation Committee, and Mr Akio Mimura, Chairman of the Japan-Australia Business Cooperation Committee. Japanese Prime Minister, the Hon Taro Aso, and Australia’s Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism, the Hon Martin Ferguson, addressed the Conference.

Conference invitees included senior representatives from politics, business, academia and the media. This year’s Conference participants embraced the challenge set by the Prime Ministers of Australia and Japan in June, when the Prime Ministers called on the Australia-Japan Conference to present forward-looking recommendations for future Australia-Japan relations. Discussion covered four main themes: political/security cooperation, trade/economic cooperation, the environment and climate change, and people to people links. Participants engaged in a free flowing discussion and explored opportunities and challenges for the relationship in light of significant developments such as the global financial crisis, climate change, the evolving regional strategic environment and changing demographics. The co-Chairs issued a statement on the Conference’s outcomes highlighting key issues in the current and future bilateral relationship (below).

Fifth Australia-Japan Conference: Co-Chairs’ Statement

Tokyo, 19 November 2008

The Fifth Australia-Japan Conference was held at Mita Kaigisho on 19 November 2008. The Conference was co-chaired by Sir Rod Eddington, Chairman of the Australia-Japan Business Cooperation Committee, and Mr Akio Mimura, Chairman of the Japan-Australia Business Cooperation Committee. Participants included eminent representatives of politics, business, academia and media from both countries. Japan’s Prime Minister, the Hon Taro Aso, and Australia’s Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism, the Hon Martin Ferguson MP, addressed the Conference.

Participants underscored that Australia and Japan are natural and indispensable partners, with a sixty-year history of close cooperation based on shared strategic interests and democratic values, economic complementarities and warm people-to-people links, and presented forward-looking recommendations for the future of the bilateral relationship.

The key and general outcomes of the conference discussions are outlined below.

Political/Security

Agreed that a close strategic relationship between Australia and Japan will be of growing importance to both countries and encouraged both Governments to further promote security and defence cooperation.
Agreed on the importance of deep engagement with the Asia-Pacific region, strong alliance ties with the United States, and comprehensive involvement in multilateral institutions to the bilateral relationship and the international policies of both countries.
Called on both Government to work together to shape regional and global institutions able to address effectively current and emerging challenges.
Welcomed the continued steady growth in Japan’s role in international security. Urged both Governments to continue to work closely to address key challenges including in the multilateral context, and to enhance further practical cooperation on disaster relief, peacekeeping, post-conflict reconstruction, governance, counter-terrorism, counter-piracy, pandemics, disarmament and non-proliferation.
Urged both Governments to work closely with the new US Administration bilaterally and trilaterally and to encourage continued and closer US strategic and economic engagement in the Asia-Pacific region.
Welcomed the growth of China and India as beneficial to the economies of both Australia and Japan as well as to the Asia Pacific region as a whole. Urged both Governments to work cooperatively with both countries to ensure that their rise contributes constructively to the international system, including through their comprehensive engagement.

Trade/Economic

Discussed ways in which Australia and Japan can address the global financial crisis and welcomed the outcomes of the G20 meting in Washington as well as the emergence of the G20 as a key forum to discuss international financial issues.
Urged both Governments to continue to work together to bring about a successful conclusion to the WTO Doha Round of trade negotiations to assist in the global economic recovery.
Noted the high degree of complementarities between the two economies and the strong support of business in Japan and Australia for an FTA/EPA and urged both Governments to show flexibility in order to conclude a comprehensive and high quality FTA/EPA, taking into account the interests and sensitivities of both sides.
Agreed on the importance of safety and security in food supply, noting that Australia, as a supplier of safe and high-quality food, can play a role in helping to ensure that Japan’s food security needs are met.
Urged both Governments to continue with urgently-needed structural economic reform as a key element in achieving stronger growth in both countries and to boosting bilateral trade.
Emphasised the potential for expanded bilateral trade in services.

Environment/Climate change

Agreed that climate change presents real and significant global challenges that require a coordinated global response, and that Australia and Japan should work closely and actively together to help shape that response.
Noted that decisions by both Governments on emission reduction will present both opportunities and challenges and will lead to structural reform in both economies.
Agreed on the vital role that new technology must play in responses to climate change and urged both Governments to collaborate intensively on efforts to find technological solutions to alleviating the problem of climate change.
Welcomed Australia’s Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) initiative and Japan’s proposed sectoral approach as important elements of the global policy response.
Supported efforts by Australia and Japan to build capacity in developing countries to tackle climate change and alleviate its impact, including technological transfer and support.

People-to-People Exchanges