Rudd affirms relationship with Japan

KEVIN Rudd has affirmed the importance of Australia's relationship with Japan.

kevin rudd

KEVIN Rudd has affirmed the importance of Australia's relationship with Japan as he launched a new strategy aimed at boosting engagement between the two countries.

"Japan remains, of course, a formidable economy,'' the Prime Minister said during a speech yesterday at the Lowy Institute foreign affairs think tank.

"Anyone who underestimates Japan, I believe, will be poorly judged by history.''

The strategy outlines goals to boost business, defence and cultural ties and warns against taking our friendly relationship with the world's third largest economic power for granted.

"Australia's partnership with Japan is our closest and most mature in the region and is a model for Australia's wider engagement with Asia,'' it says.

The strategy states that all Australian school children will get access to a quality Japanese curriculum, although this won't happen until 2025.

Sources said the strategy was aimed at getting the message out that China was not the only game in town and that one in every five of Australia's trade dollars come from Japan, only just under the contribution of China at one in every four dollars.

Australia New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Japan chair Melanie Brock welcomed the strategy and Mr Rudd's remarks.

She said it was important to capitalise on increasing confidence and consumer sentiment in Japan and also to get the next generation of young business leaders interested in pursuing their careers working with or in Japan.