[Provisional Translation]

On Tuesday, September 13, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda held telephone talks with The Hon Julia Gillard MP, Prime Minister of Australia. An outline of the talks is as follows.

1. At the outset, Prime Minister Gillard congratulated Prime Minister Noda on his assumption of office. She said that Australia would continue to support Japan's recovery and reconstruction efforts to the maximum extent possible, while recounting her visit to Minami-sanriku Town during her visit to Japan in April. In response, Prime Minister Noda, expressing his gratitude, said that Australia's assistance to Japan in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Prime Minister Gillard's visit to Japan in April have made him reaffirm that the strong bonds of friendship and solidarity exist between Japan and Australia.
   
   
2. The two leaders shared their common view that Japan and Australia are strategic partners who share basic values, and that they will further strengthen their cooperative relationship not only in the economic field but in the security field as well, while also cooperating closely on global issues.
   
   
3. Prime Minister Noda said that the Government of Japan would continue to promote economic diplomacy and pursue high-level economic partnership, and reiterated the Government's intention to make efforts toward restarting the Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations as soon as possible. In reply to this, Prime Minister Gillard said that Australia placed high importance on a FTA/EPA with Japan and wants to move the negotiations forward.
   
   
4. The two leaders agreed that two Governments would make necessary coordination to hold a Japan-Australia Summit Meeting at the earliest possible juncture by taking the opportunities of upcoming international conferences.