Mr ABBOTT (Warringah—Leader of the Opposition) (14:10): As the Prime Minister has noted, 11 March last year was a day of almost unimaginable horror. It left some 20,000 Japanese people dead and some 350,000 homeless. We were united with the Japanese people in grief then and we are united with them in remembrance now. It is worth pointing out that Japan is Australia's best friend in Asia. It is an ally, it is a trading partner and it is a bastion of liberal democratic values. It was right that Australia should have swiftly sent assistance then and it is right that we should pause to remember them now.