Doing business with Japan: The perspective of Australian companies

Findings from the Australia-Japan Business Survey 2008–09

• Jongsay Yong, Elizabeth Webster, Anne Leahy
• Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research

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17 September 2010In view of the ongoing importance of the Australia-Japan trade and investment relationship and the need to maintain an in-depth understanding of the nature of this relationship for policy guidance and further engagement with Japan, the Australia–Japan Foundation (AJF) funded this research investigating Australian companies’ business dealings with and perceptions about Japan.

The research, which consisted of a telephone survey of Australian companies, was conducted by the Melbourne Institute, and is a follow-up to a survey conducted in the year 2000. 

All 861 companies participating in the survey were asked a series of questions relating to their general perceptions about Japan, and overall the results are very positive. While a minority of respondents believed that inter-governmental relations between Australia and Japan have an important impact on their business dealings, almost 80 per cent believed that Japan offers huge potential for Australia, which indicates a general awareness of the importance of the business and economic relationship between the two countries.

Overall, the picture which emerges from the survey is one of optimism with regard to the potential for, and lack of perceived deterrents to, doing business in Japan. This optimism suggests a positive environment in which to escalate negotiations towards an FTA between Japan and Australia, which would sustain and further enhance the already productive business and political relationship between the two countries in the coming years.

Image: n5u5r / flickr