On December 28, 2012, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held telephone talks with the Hon. Julia Gillard MP, Prime Minister of Australia for approximately 10 minutes from 5:45 p.m. The call was made in order for Prime Minister Gillard to congratulate Prime Minister Abe for taking office. Though short, the talks were held in an amicable atmosphere.

1. At the outset, Prime Minister Gillard congratulated Prime Minister Abe for taking office and expressed her intention to collaborate with Japan in many areas. Prime Minister Abe expressed his appreciation for Prime Minister Gillard’s visit to Minami Sanriku immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake and stated that he would like to extend the gratitude by the people in the affected area. He also said that Australia is Japan’s strategic partner sharing basic values and strategic interests and that he wished to work closely with Prime Minister Gillard. In response, Prime Minister Gillard said that her visit to the affected area was an important event in her life as well and that she was moved by the courage shown by Japanese people.
   
   
2. Prime Minister Abe said that he was very happy to have seen the security cooperation between the two countries be steadily deepened through the Japan-Australia Joint Foreign and Defense Ministerial Consultations ("2+2") and other initiatives based on "the Japan-Australia Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation," signed by the two countries during his first term as Prime Minister. Prime Minister Gillard said that she wishes to further strengthen security cooperation between the two countries.
   
   
3. Prime Minister Abe mentioned that the Japan-Australia economic partnership agreement (EPA), currently being negotiated between the two countries, will help to strengthen strategic relations between Japan and Australia and expressed his intention to make efforts to conclude it at an early timing, to which Prime Minister Gillard said that she wishes to continue to work with Japan.
   
   
4. Prime Minister Abe congratulated Australia for being elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. Prime Minister Abe also said that the missile launch by the North Korea clearly violates the resolutions of the UN Security Council and confirmed that the two countries will work together to deal with the issue. Furthermore, Prime Minister Abe asked Australia for continued understanding and cooperation in relation to the abduction issue. Prime Minister Gillard expressed support for the Japan’s position with regard to the North Korea issues, including the abduction issue.