Remarks by Consul-General Sobashima at the Japanese Summer Festival on Saturday, February 11th 2012 (as delivered)
Mr Kevin Louey, Councillor of the Melbourne City Council,
Mr Masahiko Saito, President of the Japanese Society of Melbourne,
Mr Masahiko Nishizawa, President of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Melborne,
Distinguished Guests,
The Organisers, Sponsors, and all others who are contributing to this event,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Boys and Girls (and Babies),
Good afternoon!
The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology warns us that the weather today is cloudy, with scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. So let us be careful. (Joking aside,) It is my honour and pleasure to address you at the opening of the Melbourne Japanese Summer Festival 2012.
At the outset, I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to the people of Melbourne, Victoria and Australia for their heart-felt sympathy and massive support extended to Japan after the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.
In this regard, I also note the important contributions made by the Japanese Society, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Japan Club of Victoria as well as other Japanese organisations and individuals. As we approach the one year anniversary of the disaster, progress has been made and is being made towards the recovery, and I thank everyone who has supported Japan.
Japan will surely recover and will repay everyone’s kindness by strongly contributing to the international community again.
The Governments of Australia and Japan have agreed to develop a comprehensive and strategic partnership between the two countries, based on our shared fundamental values such as freedom, democracy and respect for human rights, and covering all areas of security, economy and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
Thus, in addition to strengthening the bilateral relationship, Australia and Japan also cooperate with each other in international fora on such issues as disarmament and non-proliferation, and environment protection.
While Japan is no longer Australia’s largest trading partner, Japan remains Australia’s major trading partner and provides Australia’s largest trade surplus.
Australia, for its part, is the largest supplier of energy resources to Japan, among other exports.
Furthermore, as the negotiations are under way on an Economic Partnership Agreement, we expect an even stronger economic relationship between Australia and Japan.
Active engagement of Japanese companies with their Australian partners here in Victoria contributes to the local economy.
In this multicultural country, I am glad to note that Japanese residents here are very active in cultural events, as amply exemplified by today’s festival.
These activities by Japanese companies and Japanese residents, I believe, have contributed and will continue to contribute to the liveability of Melbourne, the most liveable city in the world.
In conclusion, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the City of Melbourne represented by Councillor Louey today, for kindly providing this venue, among other various support for us, the Japanese community, the organisers, the partner and support organisations, the sponsors, the performers, the many volunteers, and you, participants of this Japanese Summer Festival.
Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy the Japanese Summer Festival.
Thank you