Ambassador Kusaka’s official visit to Western Australia

On the 7^th and 8^th of June, Ambassador Kusaka made an official visit to Perth, Western Australia where he met with the new Premier of Western Australia, the Hon. Mark McGowan MLA and Treasurer, the Hon. Ben Wyatt MLA. In the meetings, they renewed confirmation of the deep relationship between Japan and Western Australia and agreed to expand economic ties.

During his visit, Ambassador Kusaka participated in a roundtable discussion at the Perth USAsia Centre (PUSAC) where he addressed 30 eminent Western Australian experts, included former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Stephen Smith (PUSAC Board of Directors), former Premier of Western Australia, the Hon. Colin Barnett MLA (Member for Cottesloe), and former Australian Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Kim Beazley AC (PUSAC Distinguished Fellow) on the necessity of further strengthening Japan-Australia relations in a global environment of increasing uncertainty. A candid exchange of views under Chatham House Rule followed the Ambassador’s address(Speech Text).

Ambassador Kusaka also attended a networking function hosted by the Australia Japan Business Co-operation Committee (AJBCC) where more than 100 people engaged in economic exchange between Japan and Australia attended and exchanged views (Speech Text).

The Ambassador visited Edith Cowan University which is proactively developing exchange with Japan’s Tokyo City University, and had the opportunity to meet with exchange students from Japan. While in Perth, Ambassador Kusaka also had a meeting to exchange views with Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Community and Engagement) of the University of Western Australia and notable Japan specialist, Professor Kent Anderson.