Løkkes tale i Tokyo

Speech by H.E. Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Denmark, at a meeting with a Danish Business delegation, Danish Chamber of Commerce in Japan and japanese business partners in Tokyo March 7, 2010

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Ambassadors, members of the Danish Chamber of Commerce in Japan, representatives of the business community in Japan.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation for organising this event. This is a very good way to start our three-day visit to Japan. The Danish delegation and I look forward to meeting you and to discuss how we can make the strong trade relations between our two countries even stronger.

I have just spent two days in Singapore. Singapore has positioned itself at the forefront of globalisation and acts as a kind of bridge to Asia. Now, we have moved to the very heart of the Asian and indeed the global economy.

Japan is one of Denmark's most important trading partners. We are close allies in dealing with common global challenges. One clear example of this is in combating climate change. At the COP15 Summit in Copenhagen, I was extremely grateful for the active role that Prime Minister Hatoyama played. I look forward to using this visit to create even closer ties between our countries and to expand our cooperation.

Today, we cannot assume that the "green wave" will automatically lead to economic growth and job creation. We need to create the right framework conditions for the cleantech industry to take up the global competition. This is a key priority of a new national Growth Forum that my Government has established recently. It will require hard work. But I see a vast potential for Denmark and Japan in this field.

Lars Løkke Rasmussen (V)
Statsminister

We have all been impacted by the economic crisis. Yet some are moving ahead with impressive growth rates. The global map is being redrawn. This is a reality that we have had to confront in Denmark.

My Government has made it an overriding priority to address this challenge. I have put forward an ambitious programme with the goal that Denmark in 2020 should be among the highest performing economies in the world.

This will not be easy. But the people of Denmark acknowledge that we cannot take our position in the world for granted. We cannot turn back the clock and ignore the realities of globalisation. We must invest in the future so that we can maintain our welfare and way of life.

Human resources are our most vital asset. We need to do better at educating our young people. We need more people to take a university degree, particularly in technical fields. Here, we can learn a lot from Japan.

Some see globalisation and the emerging world order as a threat. I see it as an opportunity. An opportunity that Denmark and Danish companies must become better at taking advantage of.

Despite the crisis, there are many excellent examples of Danish companies performing well. This is also the case in Japan where we are strongly represented in key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, shipping, agriculture and design.

One area that we are devoting considerable attention to is cleantech. Denmark has had a long-standing tradition of active involvement in sustainable energy and developing climate-friendly solutions. Over the last decades, our economy has undergone a transition towards a green economy - while maintaining growth and employment.

This is the wave of the future. Danish businesses have developed a lot of expertise and know-how. We see a tremendous potential. Yet as the global market for green solutions grows, so does the competition.

Today, we cannot assume that the "green wave" will automatically lead to economic growth and job creation. We need to create the right framework conditions for the cleantech industry to take up the global competition. This is a key priority of a new national Growth Forum that my Government has established recently.

It will require hard work. But I see a vast potential for Denmark and Japan in this field. If we tackle the green challenge head-on, I see a potential win-win situation to the benefit of our economies as well as the global climate.

Thank you."