Tim Watts (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I join Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong, in offering my sincere condolences and the condolences of all Australians to the late Shinzo Abe's family and to the people of Japan.

It's hard to fathom that a statesman of such stature, such conviction and such determination could be felled by one cowardly act of violence. Four days after his death, I visited the Consulate-General of Japan in Melbourne, where I signed Mr Abe's condolence book. The consul-general, Mr Junji Shimada, spoke movingly of the outpouring of grief from the people of Victoria and about the large number of people who had been visiting the consulate to pay their respects.

That flood of emotion demonstrates that the relationship between Australia and Japan is not simply one based on the practicalities of commerce or on mutual national security concerns. It's a true friendship. Japan is one of Australia's closest diplomatic, trade and security partners. Mr Abe's achievements in strengthening the relationship between Japan and Australia have been well documented in this parliament: the elevation of our bilateral relationship to a special strategic partnership, the ratification of the Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement, the championing of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

In 2014, shortly after my arrival in this place, Mr Abe gave an address in this parliament. He spoke about the painful history of World War II and the thawing of hostilities between our two countries that led to what he called 'the second coming of Japan's industry'. He spoke about the economic and social reform within this country and about our shared ideals: peace, freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights and the rule of law. His speech was received with great affection by members of this chamber, as Mr Abe's engagements with Australia so often were.

Mr Abe was a true leader and a statesman. He was wholly dedicated to his nation and was determined to use his influence to effect change. And so, as Prime Minister, he set to work 'like a drill bit'—he said in this parliament in 2014—'breaking through the vested interests and the norms that have deep roots'. Mr Abe's suite of economic policies, Abenomics, was bold. It had to be. And Mr Abe worked tirelessly to enact the reforms that would revitalise Japan. Indeed, at times, he was personally involved in discussions between employers and unions on wage increases.

Abenomics delivered success: record-low unemployment, an economic boom and more women in the workplace than ever before. Japan will still face many challenges in the future—below-target GDP growth, demographic pressures, and productivity and innovation concerns—but Mr Abe's vision and commitment saw Japan through a sluggish domestic economic environment and a volatile global context. He did not flinch, and he negotiated, compromised and fought to break through inertia and convention.

Importantly, Mr Abe opened Japan to the world. As Foreign Minister Penny Wong said, Mr Abe 'had a vision of a Japan that exercised a degree of influence in the world commensurate with its economic weight and cultural significance'. Mr Abe was a realist. He knew that Japan's national interest was in globalisation, and he pursued this. He opened Japan up to global capital, foreign goods and international visitors, and, as Japan's view of the world changed, so did Australia's view of Japan. I saw this in my own family. My grandparents' generation might have had cause for ongoing resentment against Japan in the wake of their experiences of the horrors of the Second World War. Shinzo Abe recognised this in his address to the parliament, when he told the House:

Our fathers and grandfathers lived in a time that saw Kokoda and Sandakan . How many young Australians, with bright futures to come, lost their lives? For those who made it through the war, how much trauma did they feel years and years later from these painful memories? I can find absolutely no words to say; I can only stay humble against the evils and horrors of history. May I most humbly speak for Japan and on behalf of the Japanese people here in sending my most sincere condolences towards the many souls who lost their lives.

After these humble words Mr Abe went on to quote Prime Minister Robert Menzies, who declared upon the recommencement of relations between Australia and Japan, 'Hostility to Japan must go. It is better to hope than always to remember.' Good words. Mr Menzies of course went on to welcome Shinzo Abe's grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, to Australia as the first Japanese Prime Minister to visit the country after the war.

Thanks to the efforts of this generation, by the time that I was born, I recall my two grandfathers in particular always seeking to extend the hand of friendship to the Japanese people and to the nation that Japan had become. My grandparents regularly hosted Japanese exchange students in our small country Queensland family, and I fondly remembering listening agog as a small child about what life was like in Japan's modern new megacities, while also delighting in taking our young Japanese guests out of their comfort zones and directly exposing them to rural and regional Australia's unique flora and fauna.

As a child I had no conception of how far things had come for young people in Australia and Japan to be able to share these natural human cross-cultural exchanges. This kind of change only happens because of the work of individuals, across generations, who seek to build bridges of understanding and affection. Today, aided by cheap flights, great food and a welcoming culture, Aussies throng to Japan and our cultural relationship is on track to match our economic one; a relationship of affection set to last many more generations to come.

Every Japanese emperor's reign is given a name. On 1 April 2019 Emperor Naruhito's era in Japanese history was officially named the Reiwa era . Reiwa is taken from a verse in a collection of eighth-century Japanese poetry that refers to plum blossoms in spring. As Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe explained the naming of the era to the press that spring day. He said:

Just as the plum blossoms announce the arrival of spring after the harsh cold of winter and bloom splendidly in all their glory, all Japanese will be able to make their own blossoms come into full bloom, together with their hopes for tomorrow.

Shinzo Abe's career was dedicated to bringing Japan into full bloom. It is incomprehensible that his life was cut short, that he was not able to see the full flourishing of the spring that he envisaged for his nation. But the seeds that he planted and the reforms that he nurtured will continue to grow. As Prime Minister Albanese said, 'This low act of cruelty cannot be allowed to overshadow a life that was lived with such high purpose.' With the death of Shinzo Abe Australia has lost a great friend, Japan has lost a great leader and the world has lost a great statesman. May he rest in peace.

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