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Australia–Japan relations are generally warm, substantial and driven by mutual interests, with both nations having close ties with the Western world. Japan is one of Australia's major economic partners: it is Australia's second "largest trading partner and an increasingly important source of capital investment". In recent times the relations have expanded beyond strong economic and commercial links to other spheres, including culture, tourism, defense and scientific cooperation.〔M. Beeson, Bilateral Economic Relations in a Global Political Economy: Australia and Japan〕 There have been some tensions in the relationship, such as World War II, whaling, and Japan's perceived economic domination (although such tensions have eased somewhat) in response to Japan's economic stagnation of the 1990s, and Australia's economic growth.〔http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2010/03/31/whaling-a-small-issue-in-relations-between-whaling-a-small-issue-in-relations-between-australia-and-japan/〕 However, Australian government and business leaders see Japan as a vital export market and an essential element in Australia's future growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. Japan on its part regards Australia as an important partner, a reliable source of energy, minerals and other primary products, a popular tourist destination, a useful conduit to the West and the only other middle-ranking economic power in the Asia-Pacific. Australia's former Prime-Minister Tony Abbott recently hailed Japan as Australia's closest friend in Asia, and plans on creating a Free Trade Agreement between the two nations in the coming year. Defence Minister Marise Payne described Japan as a "key partner" in the region, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida describing the relationship as the linchpin of security in the Asia-Pacific. == Colonial and post-federation relations between Australia and the Empire of Japan == The first recorded import of Australian coal by Japan occurred in 1865, and the first recorded Japanese imports of Australian wool occurred in 1888.〔http://www.dfat.gov.au/publications/aus_japan/chapter2.html〕 The first Japanese person known to have settled in Australia was a merchant who immigrated to Queensland in 1871. By the start of the Australian Federation in 1901, it was estimated that Australia had 4000 Japanese immigrants, mostly based around Townsville where the Japanese government had established its first consulate in 1896. The immigrants worked mostly in the sugar cane and maritime industries including turtle, trochus, trepang and pearl harvesting. Further immigration was effectively terminated with the Australian Immigration Restriction Act of 1902, with the imposition of a "dictation test" in a European language on prospective immigrants, and with the White Australia policy. Due to this the Townsville consulate closed in 1908.〔Kodansha Encyclopedia, ISBN 4-06-205938-X, pp81-82〕 In 1930–31, Japan was "Australia's third most important trading partner".〔http://www.dfat.gov.au/publications/aus_japan/chapter2.html〕 However, economic relations continued to flourish, and by the mid-1930s, Japan had become Australia's second largest export market after the United Kingdom. However, in 1936, Britain applied political pressure on Australia to curb the import of Japanese textiles, which were damaging the British textile market in Australia. Japan reacted to the new tariffs with trade barriers of its own. After both sides realized that the trade war was unproductive, an agreement was reached in 1937 to relax restrictions. In recognition of the importance of Japanese ties, Tokyo was the second capital (after Washington DC in the United States) where Australia established a legation separate from the British embassy. During World War II, Australian territory was directly threatened by Japanese invasion, and Japanese forces attacked Darwin in Northern Australia and Sydney Harbour. In 1941, the ethnic Japanese population in Australia was interned, and most were deported to Japan at the end of the war.〔(Museum of Victoria home page )〕 Australian forces played an active combat role in battles throughout the Southeast Asia and South West Pacific theater of World War II, and a significant role in the post-war Occupation of Japan. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Australia–Japan relations」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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