50 years of enduring ties

The Australian Wollemi Pine - one of the world's oldest and rarest tree species - was presented to the Fujiya Hotel Hakone on July 6 to mark an important milestone in Australia-Japan relations. It was at this hotel, exactly 50 years ago to the day, that the Australia-Japan Agreement on Commerce was signed - setting the stage for one of the most enduring and vital trade partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region.
The agreement was the foundation not only for strong economic ties, but co-operation in the spheres of diplomacy and security. This was demonstrated by the recent joint signing of the Japan-Australia Security Pact.
The commemoration of the commerce agreement featured speeches by Japan Australia Business Co-operation Committee vice-chairman Mr Minoru Murofushi and the Australian Ambassador to Japan, Mr Murray McLean.
Australia and Japan have recently begun negotiations on a free trade agreement.