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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-05-12 Daily Xml
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South Australia-Japan Relationship

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:08): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier please update the house and the people of this state on the relationship between the South Australian government and Japan?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:08): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question, and I acknowledge today in the gallery His Excellency the Ambassador of Japan to Australia, Ambassador Yamagami, and his wife, Kaoru Yamagami, and also the Consul-General from Japan, Shimada-san. It is a great honour for us to have this delegation here in South Australia.

As members would be aware, the ambassador replaced Ambassador Takahashi, who had served Japan here in Australia for an extended period of time and fostered a great working relationship between Japan and Australia. The new ambassador has arrived. He has made South Australia a priority, and I think that's a great act of respect to the great working relationship we have had in South Australia with Japan over an extended period of time.

Both the Leader of the Opposition and I were recently at the Adelaide Airport, when Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited opened their brand-new headquarters for Australia right here in South Australia, which I suppose extends that wonderful decades-long relationship we have had with Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited. We thank you, sir, for coming to South Australia.

The ambassador has a wonderful program. Whilst we're here in question time, slaving away, representing the people of South Australia, the ambassador will be going to the wonderful Art Gallery of South Australia. One of the things that he will see when he visits our wonderful Art Gallery is the installation of Chiharu Shiota, a wonderful installation there that is a favourite for all people visiting our Art Gallery.

The Ambassador His Excellency is very keen on promoting two-way trade with Japan, especially focused on tourism, but he has a special love for South Australian wine and food. I know that this is going to be a great focus for us. As members would be aware, we have significantly expanded our presence in Tokyo. For more than two decades, we have had Tanaka-san, Tin Tanaka, representing tuna sales from South Australia to Japan. In recent times, we have expanded that with an office headed by Sally Townsend. She is very much focused on building the team that we have in Tokyo so that we can build that relationship with Japan.

I think it's no coincidence that the only trip that our Prime Minister has made during the coronavirus pandemic has been to Japan. Obviously, on the resignation of Prime Minister Abe, our Prime Minister, the Hon. Scott Morrison, was very keen to establish a good working relationship with our friends in Japan and the new administration under Prime Minister Suga. I think that the relationship is going from strength to strength.

It was a great honour for us in South Australia last year to host many technical people from JAXA, the Japanese space agency, for the return of Hayabusa2 to Earth. That was a wonderful time for us. I think that space is a great opportunity for us to work together. We now have a space agency and JAXA is, of course, one of the great space agencies in the world and we now have many things that we can collaborate on in space.

Also, in the area of hydrogen, my last trip overseas before the coronavirus was to Tokyo, where I spoke at the Tokyo University, His Excellency's alma mater, on the opportunity between South Australia and Japan in terms of clean, green hydrogen produced in South Australia but for export to Japan.

To His Excellency, who sits in the gallery today, can I offer a hand of friendship from this parliament to you. We hope that you enjoy your time here in South Australia.

The SPEAKER: Can I add my words of welcome to Your Excellency and Mrs Yamagami, to the Consul-General and also to the Honorary Consul-General, Adam Wynn, the long-time honorary consul in Adelaide also present. Welcome to you all.

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