Julie Bishop - Member for Curtin

Remarks to Commemorative Ceremony for the First Anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, Canberra

E&OE… 

Your Excellency, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.

The tragic events of one year ago are still fresh in the global memory.

One of the largest earthquakes in recorded history struck off the coast of Japan unleashing a wall of water.

The tsunami swept away tens of thousands of lives, destroyed entire towns and communities and triggered a crisis at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

The world was shocked - but it is impossible for us to know or understand the extent of, not only of the physical damage, but also the emotional and psychological impact of this terrible disaster on the Japanese people.

The world watched in admiration as the Japanese people responded with calm composure and courageous determination.

The Japanese are often described as stoic in the face of adversity.

Stoicism is an ancient philosophical school of thought that argues logic must override emotion to lift humankind to a higher level.

And that is what we saw, as the Japanese began to rebuild, even though the scale of the damage and the loss of life could easily have led to despair.

For me this was borne out when a group of retired engineers offered to work at the Fukushima plant in the place of younger staff - prepared to take whatever risks there may have been to protect the younger generation.

On the day of the disaster I was at a function at Goulburn. The phone rang, it was one of my Senate colleagues in Japan as part of a Parliamentary delegation.

They were trapped on a bullet train to Tokyo and weren’t aware of the broader disaster, could I contact our Ambassador in Japan to see if transport was available?

The events quickly unfolded. I later called the Japanese Ambassador in Canberra to express our deep sorrow and our commitment to do whatever we could to assist, and to reassure him that whatever assistance our Government provided or whatever the Japanese Government asked for, the Coalition would support it.

While the people of Japan continue with the enormous ongoing struggle to rebuild, they can take comfort that they have friends around the world and none closer than Australia who has been and will continue to be there with you as Japan rebuilds that beautiful country.

Ambassador, be assured that the Australia - Japan friendship will endure.