Reinvigorating ties with Japan will be the first priority of a new business group aimed at expanding New Zealand's international trade and investment.
The New Zealand International Business Forum, to be launched today, brings together leading exporters from the dairy, meat, fish, horticulture and software sectors and business
organisations such as Business New Zealand, the Chambers of Commerce and Export New Zealand.
Chairman Graeme Harrison said the new group would seek to emulate the meeting of business and political leader in Washington last year which created some momentum for a free trade agreement there. Stephen Jacobi, who is executive director of the NZ-United States Council, would fill a similar role for the new group.
Japan is New Zealand's third largest export destination and second largest source of imports - "but we are only Japan's 43rd largest trading partner".
Japan has made it clear it is not interested in a free trade agreement with New Zealand at this stage.
But as such deals proliferate the risk is of being disadvantaged by preferential bilateral pacts between other countries.
A free trade agreement which gave US or Australian beef producers preferential access to the Japanese market would be bad news. Japan is New Zealand's second largest beef market despite a 38.5 per cent tariff.
"But it's about investment too, and the wider relationship," Harrison said.
"We want to build a stronger high-level business constituency in Japan for a closer economic relationship. It is also about working alongside government and saying we want more effort going into Japan."
Official efforts have been concentrated on negotiations with China with the aim of concluding a comprehensive trade agreement by April next year.
"Over time we will develop further projects related to Korea and the European Union," Harrison said, "as well as supporting existing efforts with regard to Australia, the United States and China."
In addition to Harrison, the forum's board includes Don Elder of Solid Energy, Rod Carr of Jade, Charles Finny of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, Robin Hapi of Sealord, John Maasland of Auckland International Airport, Jon Mayson of Export NZ, Tony Nowell of Zespri, Mike Petersen of Meat and Wool NZ, Phil O'Reilly of Business NZ and Henry van der Heyden of Fonterra.
