It is now 20 years since the signing of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. In 1980 - with the Japanese Government we founded APEC s predecessor, the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council in 1980. Also, it is almost 100 years since the Japanese Consulate opened in Sydney. We should remember that the Consulate was first established in Townsville. This reflects the historic importance to this region of the Australia-Japan relationship.
Japan continues to be a central part of Australia s future.
One important reason is that Japan is our largest trading partner. And it has been an important trading partner for almost three decades. And under the guidance of the Howard Government, Australia will become an even better place to invest. We are introducing strong micro-economic reforms to our ports, to coastal shipping, the labour market, communications, our transport systems and to energy. This will help to boost the competitiveness of Australian companies and help to make them stronger partners for Japanese companies.