M60

13 June 1995

SENATOR EVANS TO VISIT JAPAN

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Gareth Evans, will visit Japan from 14-16 June to attend the 1995 Asian Leaders' Forum.

The Forum, which is the third in a series organised by the Australia-Asia Institute of the University of NSW, brings together senior government, business and academic leaders from countries in the Asia Pacific to generate and test new ideas on issues of fundamental importance to the region. The theme for this year's forum - which is being jointly sponsored by the Japan Federation of Economic Organisations (Keidanren) - is 'The Future Fabric of Asia'.

Senator Evans has attended both the previous meetings of the Asian Leaders' Forum in Port Douglas (1993) and Bali (1994).

At the conclusion of the Leaders' Forum, Senator Evans will preside over the Asia-Australia Institute's annual Advisory Council Meeting. Both meetings are being held in Gotemba, Japan.

While in Japan, Senator Evans will meet leaders of Japanese political parties to discuss a range of international issues. With Government leaders attending the G7 Meeting in Halifax the primary focus on this visit will be Opposition figures.

PERTH