Finance Minister to attend APEC in Japan

Finance Minister Bill English leaves for Japan on Wednesday to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) finance ministers' annual meeting in Kyoto and to meet senior government and investment figures in Tokyo.

"This is a timely opportunity for me to discuss common challenges and opportunities with Japan and our other trade and investment partners across the Asia Pacific region," Mr English says.

"It will also allow me to provide investors with an update on New Zealand's economic progress and the Government's approach to getting faster growth and moving the economy onto a more sustainable base of savings, exports and investment.

"There is quite a bit of interest in our tax package and other measures to move our economy away from debt and consumption."

On 4 November, Mr English will call on Bank of Japan Governor Masaaki Shirakawa and he will attend a dinner for corporate investors and senior business figures.

The next day he will address the Australian and New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Japan and join Treasury Secretary John Whitehead and Debt Management Office Head Philip Combes at investor presentations.

Mr English will then attend the one-day APEC finance ministers' meeting in Kyoto on 6 November, where he will meet Japan's Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda and other APEC finance ministers.

"This meeting will include discussions on the economic outlook for the Asia-Pacific region, issues such as the impact of aging populations on public finances and discussions with the APEC Business Advisory Council."

Mr English returns to New Zealand on 8 November.