TOKYO (AFP) – Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard vowed on Thursday to help Japan recover from last month's earthquake and tsunami by securing natural resources and rare earth minerals for the Asian country.
Gillard arrived in Tokyo late Wednesday on a four-day visit to hold talks with her Japanese counterpart Naoto Kan and visit northeastern Japan, hit by the March 11 disaster that has left more than 27,000 people dead or missing.
"Japan will rebuild and Australia will help as a friend," Gillard said in a speech at a meeting with Japanese business leaders.
"Over the next few years Australia will become Japan's most important supplier of liquefied natural gas, as we are already with coal and iron ore," Gillard said.
"Japan can certainly continue to rely on Australia as a reliable source of supply at this difficult time.
"We are also committed to being a secure and reliable supplier to Japan of rare earth metals, which are so important to advanced manufacturing."
Attention has shifted to Australia's nascent rare earths industry after China, which dominates global production, began restricting exports of the metals which are vital in making many high-tech products.
Ahead of her speech, Gillard met Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at their royal residence, voicing her condolences for victims of the disaster, according to government officials and local media.
Gillard and Kan were scheduled to hold talks later in the day and expected to discuss steps to boost ties in disaster relief and energy in the wake of the calamity, Japan's worst since World War II.
Gillard, on her first visit to Japan since the disaster struck, plans to visit evacuation centres in the northeast town of Minamisanriku on Saturday.
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