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Qantas Wallabies to Score Trade Wins in Tokyo Bledisloe Battle

Austrade media release

29 October 2009

Australian trade and investment will be the winner from the Qantas Wallabies-All Blacks Bledisloe Cup Test in Tokyo, regardless of the on-field result thanks to a Business Club Australia (BCA) and Australian Rugby Union initiative to leverage trade outcomes through the match.

The Australian Ambassador to Japan, Mr Murray McLean, the Australian Rugby Union and Austrade will host the Qantas Wallabies squad and 500 Australian and Japanese business people at a networking reception offering access to some of Japan’s leading companies and institutional investors.

Australia’s Tokyo-based Senior Trade Commissioner and Japan Country Manager, Ms Elizabeth Masamune said the traditionally fierce trans-Tasman rivalry offered a strong platform to promote Australian business capability and investment opportunities in our largest export market.

“Business Club Australia has a proven track record of utilising the excitement of high profile sporting events to support the development of long term business connections,” Ms Masamune said.

“With strong links between rugby and corporate Australia, the event will unite the Australian expatriate business community in Japan and attract through that involvement a wide range of influential Japanese companies.”

Australian financial services capability will be highlighted with Australian investment and retail banks utilising the event to reinforce and build relationships in Japan, including sponsors Macquarie Bank, ANZ Bank, National Australia Bank, Bovis Lend Lease, North West Shelf, and the Australia and New Zealand Chamber of Commerce, Tokyo.

“Japan offers a range of new opportunities for Australian companies to pursue. Japan’s baby boomers – the Dankai generation – are now entering full retirement and will receive more than A$450 billion between 2007 and the end 2010 in pension payments which will need to be re-invested over the short term.”

“Austrade in Japan is working with Australian Financial firms seeking access to these funds leveraging the fact that with the world’s fourth largest pool of funds under management, Australia is well placed to not only manage these funds but to channel the needed capital to run the Australian economic engine” Ms Masamune said.

“Austrade has also identified opportunities for Australian companies in a wide range of areas such as legal and professional services, premium Australian food, with investment, particularly in clean energy, a growing priority.

“Recently released ABS statistics show Japan is one of Australia’s fastest growing major sources of foreign direct investment, rising by 16% from $31 billion in 2007 to $36 billion in 2008. Total Japanese investment now stands at $90 billion.

“Investments in Australia by Asahi Beer, Kirin, Fujitsu, Nippon Paper, Mitsubishi and Marubeni, and Sekisui House highlight Japan’s ongoing importance as a source of FDI,” Ms Masamune said.

Australian Rugby Union Managing Director and CEO, John O’Neill, said the Bledisloe Cup Test was an opportunity to build the game’s business connections internationally.

“By drawing attention to Australia’s business strengths in countries like Japan, Business Club Australia demonstrates the value Rugby can deliver to the wider Australian and corporate community,” Mr O’Neill said.

Previous Business Club Australia programs have included the Beijing 2008 and Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, successive Rugby World Cups (2003 and 2007), the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, the 2007 FINA World Swimming Championships, Melbourne Cup Carnival and most recently in Japan, the Australia v Japan 2010 FIFA World Cup Asian qualification match Business Club Australia in conjunction with Football Federation Australia.

Elizabeth Masamune (Austrade) is available for media interviews. For further information about Business Club Australia visit www.businessclubaustralia.com.au.

ENDS