<br/>Australia has signed an Olympic partnership agreement with Japan at the Vancouver Winter Games under which it will be able to use winter sports venues in the Asian country. After signing the accord, Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates expressed his satisfaction at the results produced so far in Vancouver by his country better known for its feats in summer sports.<br/><br/>The partnership agreement, signed by Coates and his Japanese counterpart Tsunekazu Takeda, encompasses all sports from both the summer and winter Olympic programmes until at least 2016.<br/><br/> Japan has hosted the Winter Olympics twice – in Sapporo in 1972 and in Nagano in 1998 – and its winter sports facilities could be of use for the Australians. Australia already have similar accords with Russia, Britain and China.<br/>