Brendan Nelson (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Given the concerns held in Japan for a strong relationship with Australia, will the Prime Minister consider dropping one of his four days in China during his imminent overseas trip and instead spend a day in Japan?

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I begin this answer by repeating how I concluded my last answer, which is that I am disappointed that the Leader of the Opposition, as the alternative Prime Minister of the country, would choose to be partisan on questions that go to our principal foreign relationships. When it comes to the organisation of itineraries with foreign governments—those of the United States, those of China, those of Japan and those of the United Kingdom and elsewhere—as the Leader of the Opposition would know from his experience as a minister, these are complex negotiations which involve complex questions of scheduling between and across multiple governments.

When it comes to the visit to Japan, already dates are under discussion for a further visit on top of the July visit. I look forward very much to undertaking that visit to Tokyo. I have visited Japan on number of occasions in the past; it remains for us a principal economic and foreign policy partner for the future. I look forward very much to visiting Tokyo.