STATEMENT BY THE AUSTRALIAN MINISTER FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

"There is a very keen interest by Japanese industry in

Australia' s large reserves of- uranium and natural gas",  the

Australian Minister for National Development (Sir Reginald

Swartz) said yesterday. .

Sir Reginald was speaking in Osaka following discussions

with Kansai Electric Power Company and Osaka Gas Company.

These two companies are responsible for power generation and

gas reticulation in the Osaka area, the second largest

population and industrial area in Japan.

Sir Reginald said he already had and would be having more

discussions with Japanese power and gas companies on their

interest in the future development of uranium and natural gas

deposits in Australia.  He said that it was only through such

discussions that we could come to understand each other's

interests and reach the stage where any problems that might

possibly arise could be thoroughly understood by the other

party.

Sir Reginald pointed out that exports of natural gas

were not permitted from Australia at present but his

Government stood ready to re-examine this question if it were

shown that natural gas reserves in excess of those needed

for Australian use had been discovered.

Ã¢ÂÂ   After leaving Osaka, the Minister had discussions with .

Sumitomo at Kyoto and with Chubu Electric at Nagoya before .

returning to Tokyo. Sir Reginald is due to leave Japan

on Thursday, 15th June.

13th JUNE, 1972

