SYDNEY — Japan is seeking to attract financial services firms and investments of various kinds from Australia, Minister of Finance Satsuki Katayama said on Wednesday, emphasizing the importance of Australia-Japan ties at a time of rising geopolitical tensions.
Katayama, in an address to the Nikkei Asia Forum Sydney, cited Australia’s “indispensable” role as a source of energy and minerals while describing the two nations’ ties as a “stabilizing power in the region” amid increasing fragmentation.
She said she hoped that more investors would take advantage of Japanese reforms designed to smooth the path for overseas firms, noting that the efforts had seen more than 50 overseas financial institutions, including from Australia, enter Japan in the last five years.
“As we deepen cooperation in the real economy, the role of finance in supporting investment and capital flows becomes ever more important,” Katayama told attendees in a video message.
“Through continued reform, we will pursue sustainable growth and long-term value creation. I hope these efforts will deepen economic and financial cooperation between Japan and Australia and contribute to our shared prosperity,” she said.
The event on Wednesday is the fourth Nikkei Forum in Australia. The gathering is focused on the future of Australia-Japan relations in a fast-changing and increasingly volatile world characterized by the norm-breaking presidency of U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s continued rise.