Welcome Remarks by Consul-General Hidenobu Sobashima at a Reception in Honour of Mr Hideaki Ohmura, Governor of Aichi Prefecture of Japan Wednesday 11 July 2012
Your Excellency the Hon Hideaki Ohmura, Governor of Aichi Prefecture of Japan,
The Hon Richard Dalla-Riva, Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, and Minister for Manufacturing, Export and Trade of Victoria,
Your Excellency Murray McLean, Former Ambassador of Australia to Japan,
The Hon Bruce Atkinson, President of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria,
The Hon Ken Smith, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria,
The Hon James Merlino, Deputy Leader of the Labor Party and Shadow Minister for Education, representing the Leader of the Victorian Opposition,
Members of the Parliament,
Local Government Representatives,
School Principals,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my pleasure and privilege to host a reception in honor of the visiting Governor of Aichi Prefecture which has been a Sister Prefecture of the State of Victoria for as long as 32 years since 1980.
Melbourne is the most liveable city in the world.
In this connection, I repeatedly said on various occasions and I am going to say this now again that perhaps the activities of Japanese companies, many of which have parent companies in Aichi Prefecture, with their Australian partners and cultural programs organized by Japanese residents with the participation of Australians here are also contributing to this liveability, that is the world’s best, economically and culturally, in this multicultural society.
The long standing ties between Aichi and Victoria lie a cornerstone of such mutually beneficial and vibrant exchanges and relations between Japan and Victoria.
After I assumed the responsibility of Consul-General of Japan at Melbourne in October last year, a Delegation of Aichi Prefectural Assembly visited Victoria in November, a Delegation of Parliamentary Friends of Japan in Victoria, I recognize Donna, Nick and Andrew here, visited Aichi and Japan in February, a Delegation of the Victorian Parliament, including both the President and the Speaker, visited Aichi and Japan in May, and the Hon Richard Dalla-Riva, Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations and Minister for Manufacturing, Export and Trade visited Aichi and Japan also in May. Now the Governor of Aichi Prefecture is here.
With such a strong momentum being kept, and with the cooperation to be extended from all of you present here, among others, I am confident that the
visit of Governor Ohmura this time will further consolidate and develop the friendly and mutually beneficial relationship between Aichi and Victoria in particular, and Japan and Australia in general.
Thus I welcome all of you here wholeheartedly.
Welcome and thank you.