Australian PM defends claims he snubbed Japan
Updated
Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has pointedly defended himself against claims he snubbed Japan by not visiting the country earlier.
As North Asia correspondent Shane McLeod reports, Mr Rudd was asked at the National Press Club in Tokyo why it had taken him more than six months to visit Japan, when he has already visited China, the U-S, the U-K and Indonesia.
Mr Rudd replied, saying six months after taking office was when John Howard first visited Japan, and seven Australian ministers have already visited Japan this year.
"How many Japanese government ministers have been able to visit Australia in the same time. I don't think there are any."
Mr Rudd says he's confident the Japan-Austraila relationship is strong, and he hopes to talk about stronger security ties in a meeting Friday with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda .
