Lecture by
H.E. Ambassador Terusuke Terada
Mr. Terada, former ambassador to represent Japan to several countries
and now President of Foreign Press Center, Japan, was at Penang
to give a public lecture entitled Japan’s Diplomatic Interaction
with East Asia, and the Relationship between Japan and Malaysia.
The talk, which was held at Bayview Hotel on Friday, June 13, 2008,
was attended by about 100 invited guests from the political, economic,
social and academic fields.
He added that there are 1,400 companies and about 10,000 Japanese
residing in Malaysia while Malaysian students and trainees in Japan
totaled 12,000.
After referring to the very good bilateral relations between Malaysia
and Japan, he said ASEAN played important roles such as upholding
of peace and stability and the forming of economic community among
its members. He mentioned that following the Fukuda Doctrine of
equal partnership between Japan and ASEAN announced in 1977 by then
Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda, the present Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda,
his son, made five promises including support to creating ASEAN
community.
On Japan-China relations, Mr. Terada stressed on the improved ties
between these countries. Prime Minister Abe’s visit to China in
2006 followed by a return visit by his counterpart, Wen Jiabao,
in April 2007, melted icy relations which and deteriorated in the
term of the previous Government. In May this year, President Hu
Jintao visited Japan and brought ties between the two countries
to a new historic point. Japan was quick to dispatch its rescue
teams to China following the Sichuan earthquake in the same month.
Trade between the two countries totaled U.S.$236.3 billion in 2007.
for Japan, China is placed its highest trading partner whereas for
China, Japan is its third highest. There are 22,650 Japanese companies
in the People’s Republic of China where 9,200,000 Chinese are being
employed.
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