JAPANESE – AUSTRALIA

Labour laws behind drop in global rank

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Original article by Rowan Callick
The Australian – Page: 20 : 5-Sep-14

The World Economic Forum has issued the 2014 version of its index of global competitiveness. Australia has lost one place to now be ranked 22nd, leap-frogged by Malaysia at number 20. The leaders are Switzerland, Singapore, US, Finland, Germany, Japan and Hong Kong. Australia is being held back chiefly by its low score of 4.3 points out of seven in the area of labour market flexibility. Meanwhile commercial lawyer Andrew Thomson warns that over-regulation in Australia is likely to erode much of the benefit gained from the new free trade agreement with Japan

CORPORATES
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, PALMER UNITED PARTY, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, BM ALLIANCE COAL OPERATIONS PTY LTD, MITSUBISHI CORPORATION, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, ASAHI BREWERIES LIMITED, SCHWEPPES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION, TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Eddington cheers a ‘new wave’ from Japan

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Original article by Rick Wallace, Rowan Callick
The Australian – Page: 19 : 31-Jul-14

Prominent Australian businessman Sir Rod Eddington predicts increased investment by Japanese entities, including major trading houses Mitsui, Sumitomo and Mitsubishi, under a new free-trade agreement. He also notes that the services sector will be a major beneficiary in terms of exports to Japan, apart from the more obvious agricultural industry. However Wesfarmers non-executive director and Strategy& chair Vanessa Wallace notes that Australian businesses currently account for under 1% of all foreign companies with operations in Japan

CORPORATES
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, COOGEE CHEMICALS PTY LTD, MITSUBISHI CORPORATION, MITSUI AND COMPANY LIMITED, SUMITOMO CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

Finance, unis big winners

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Original article by Jacob Greber, Fleur Anderson, Greg Earl, Matthew Cranston
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 9-Jul-14

A new economic partnership agreement (EPA) has been struck between Australia and Japan. Apart from the automobile and agricultural sectors in Japan and Australia respectively, the main winners will be sections of the Australian services industry. The Japanese Government will open this area to Australian educational, legal and financial services providers. Business leader Sir Rod Eddington has welcomed the focus on services. He also warned that investment by Japanese parties will require a stable political and regulatory environment in Australia, but dismissed fears the deal may harm the relationship with China

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN SERVICES ROUNDTABLE, WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, INFRASTRUCTURE AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL

Visit sowed seed for Olam grain purchase

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Original article by Rick Wallace
The Australian – Page: 18 : 7-Jul-14

Mitsubishi Corporation’s interest in Australia’s grain market stemmed from a visit to a grain terminal by chairman Yorihiko Kojima in 2008. The Japanese company has acquired Olam International’s Australian handling infrastructure for nearly $A70 million. Kojima said that his visit revealed the financial and technological advancement of the Australian agriculture sector. Kojima is part of a delegation arriving in Australia on 7 July 2014

CORPORATES
MITSUBISHI CORPORATION, OLAM INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, SUMITOMO CORPORATION, EMERALD GRAIN PTY LTD, MITSUI AND COMPANY LIMITED, PLUM GROVE PTY LTD, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP