JETRO urges leaders to look to the future

Business people, economists, academics and others considered a future with few trade barriers at a recent seminar in Sydney organised by the Australian National University. Hosted by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), seminar participants were encouraged to consider the future roles of Australia and Japan in an environment of economic integration across East Asia. Key speakers included Professor Jenny Corbett (executive director of the Australia-Japan Research Centre at ANU), Nobuhito Hobo (Consul-General of Japan in Sydney), Pushpanathan Sundram (Economic Integration and Finance director, ASEAN Secretariat) and Huw McKay (senior international economist, Westpac Banking Corporation). The seminar was the first of its kind to be held in Australia and promoted the aims of JETRO in improving trade and economic relations between the two countries.