[Australia]: Message to Japan [SEC=SECRET]

[Owen]

​

PRIME MINISTER​

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: SECRET (ENCRYPTED)​

18 August 2004

Dear Prime Minister Shimada, Firstly may I congratulate you on your recent election as the Prime Minister of Japan. This is a noble position and one which has the utmost respect within the Australian Government. Australia and Japan have enjoyed a very strong and fruitful relationship since the end of the Second World War. While the time that proceeded it was marked by obvious challenges, through our adversity we rose from the ashes and turned the relationship around. Japan is an extremely lucrative market for Australian businesses and together we stand at the forefront of defending democracy and freedom in the Asia-Pacific. We wish to strike a trade agreement with Japan and the exploration of defence memorandum of understandings and other areas such as nuclear energy and general scientific cooperation. I would like to propose that I make a state visit to Japan as soon as possible. I will fly on an RAAF VIP aircraft to Tokyo-Haneda before proceeding with meetings with yourself. I hope this is the beginning of an extremely fruitful and productive relationship. Yours sincerely, Julia Gillard.

Parliament House, CANBERRA, ACT 2600 Telephone: (02) 6277 7700​

Protective Marking:	Business Impact Level:	Compromise of Information Confidentiality:	Required to be Encrypted:
UNOFFICIAL	No Business Impact	No damage. This information does not form part of official duty.
OFFICIAL	Low Business Impact	No or insignificant damage. This is the majority of routine information.
OFFICIAL: Sensitive	Low to Medium Business Impact	Limited damage to an individual, organisation or government generally if compromised.
PROTECTED	High Business Impact	Damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals.
SECRET	Extreme Business Impact	Serious damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals.
TOP SECRET	Catastrophic Business Impact	Exceptionally grave damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals.

Tokugawa

 

[Tokugawa]

首相官邸
Prime Minister's Office
大日本帝國
Empire of Japan​

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From: His Excellency Hideo Shimada, Prime Minister of the Empire of Japan
To: Her Excellency Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia Owen

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Classification: Confidential
Encryption: Camellia 128 Bit Block Size 192 Bit Key Size 24 Rounds

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Subject: State Visit

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Your Excellency,

Thank you for your congratulations and well wishes, as difficult as these past two years have been on Japan we are luckily finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Since the end of the Second World War Australia has been an important friend and partner of Japan, both due to our shared alliances with the United States and the shared rivals we faced in the Asia-Pacific region. As Her Imperial Majesty has indicated a desire to see Japan return to becoming an influential power in the Asia-Pacific we more than welcome renewed relations with Australia.

As such, I do hereby extend a formal invitation for yourself to visit Tokyo, as part of this state visit a meeting with myself can be scheduled but depending on the timing we may also be able to schedule a chance for a meeting with the Empress should you so desire.

Kind regards,
Hideo Shimada

 

[Owen]

​

PRIME MINISTER​

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: SECRET (ENCRYPTED)​

18 August 2004

Dear Prime Minister Shimada, With the state visit being conducted between the Prime Minister of Thailand and the Emperor and Empress of Japan, it would be better to maintain this as a state visit between our two selves. Our monarch is Queen Elizabeth the Second, represented by the Governor-General. It would be fitting to have the Emperor and Empress meet with Her Majesty The Queen or the Governor-General or the Governor of an Australian state, rather than the Prime Minister or a State Premier. I will depart shortly for Tokyo. Yours sincerely, Julia Gillard.

Parliament House, CANBERRA, ACT 2600 Telephone: (02) 6277 7700​

Protective Marking:	Business Impact Level:	Compromise of Information Confidentiality:	Required to be Encrypted:
UNOFFICIAL	No Business Impact	No damage. This information does not form part of official duty.
OFFICIAL	Low Business Impact	No or insignificant damage. This is the majority of routine information.
OFFICIAL: Sensitive	Low to Medium Business Impact	Limited damage to an individual, organisation or government generally if compromised.
PROTECTED	High Business Impact	Damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals.
SECRET	Extreme Business Impact	Serious damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals.
TOP SECRET	Catastrophic Business Impact	Exceptionally grave damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals.

A Boeing 737BBJ of the No. 34 Squadron RAAF would depart from RAAF Base Fairbairn for Tokyo-Haneda Airport. She would be accompanied by 3 armed plain-clothed AFP officers from the Protection Operations Group and a bunch of policy advisors and assistants. It would make a refuelling stop at Guam-Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport. The U.S. FAA would be alerted to this (Odinson).

Tokugawa

 

[Tokugawa]

首相官邸
Prime Minister's Office
大日本帝國
Empire of Japan​

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From: His Excellency Hideo Shimada, Prime Minister of the Empire of Japan
To: Her Excellency Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia Owen

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Classification: Confidential
Encryption: Camellia 128 Bit Block Size 192 Bit Key Size 24 Rounds

---

Subject: State Visit

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Your Excellency,

Of course, if that is what you prefer I will leave that up to your discretion and a possible future meeting between the Governor-General and Her Imperial Majesty can be discussed if there is any interest for one at a future date.

I look forward to your arrival in Tokyo.

Kind regards,
Hideo Shimada

 

[Owen]

After flying across the Pacific and a stop in Guam, the RAAF 737BBJ would touch down at Tokyo-Haneda late in the night with the callsign "ENVOY01".

The Australian Ambassador to Japan, Murray McLean, would greet the Prime Minister on her arrival to Haneda. The Embassy would organise for a chaffeured vehicle to take her from the airport to the Ritz-Carlton in Akasaka where she would be staying, not too far from the Australian Embassy. AFP officers would stand outside her door, rotating through the night to take turns getting some rest. She was hoping the Japanese Government would put her up in Akasaka Palace. She would rest and refresh the next morning for meetings with her Japanese counterpart at the Naikaku Sōri Daijin Kantei.

Tokugawa