PM Abe honored at dinner in Perth

 

A who’s who of Australian politics, business and the arts attended a dinner at Crown Perth on Wednesday night in honour of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife Akie Abe hosted by Prime Minister Tony Abbott and WA Premier Colin Barnett.

The 250 guests invited by Mr Abbott and Mr Barnett were from a wide range of business, arts, government and education organisations, as well as those with strong links to Japan. They included James Packer, Chairman of Crown Casinos, Gina Rinehart, Executive Chairperson of Hancock Prospecting, Sam Walsh, CEO of Rio Tinto, Michael Chaney, Chairman of Woodside, former WA Premier Richard Court, Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop, and WA ministers Mike Nahan, John Day and Bill Marmion.

Guests dined on some of the State’s finest produce, including marron with truffles and lamb loin, and were served champagne, beer and wine from Redbank, Leeuwin Estate, Vasse Felix and Little Creatures.

Earlier, Mr Abe and Mr Barnett held a private meeting at Crown after their visit to the Pilbara, where they visited Rio Tinto’s West Angelas mine site. Mr Abe said he was delighted to visit WA, which had a deep connection with Japan.

Before the dinner, Mr Abe and Mr Abbott witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the establishment of a Rio Tinto Chair of Australian Japanese Studies at the University of Tokyo. It will pave the way for greater development of Australian-Japanese relations in the 21st century.