To celebrate the relationship, Chief Minister Jon Stanhope and the ambassador of Japan, Takaaki Kojima planted the first of 320 Yoshino cherry trees at the Canberra International Arboretum and Gardens.

''I hope Canberrans are drawn to the garden as a place of tranquillity, beauty and peace when the tree blooms in spring,'' Mr Kojima said.

Mr Stanhope said, ''The Yoshino cherry tree is an iconic tree, a symbol of Japan which we plant in recognition of our relationship.

''A living thing that will outlive us, but not our friendship.''

Hopefully the cherry tree would not suffer the same fate as that of the Wollemi pines that died because of a possible ''fungus problem''.

The multimillion-dollar arboretum, which is being developed in the Greenhills Forest area, west of the Tuggeranong Parkway and Lake Burley Griffin, has been criticised as being impractical in times of drought as well not being the best use of taxpayers' money.

But Mr Stanhope said the fears had not been substantiated.

He said when people saw the site, they would be convinced it was the right decision.

''It will take time, it can't be done in one day or even by one government.'' The chairman of the arboretum's board of governors, John Mackay, said while there had been issues in the past, the survival rate of the trees was 98 per cent and the site would use recycled water.

''Trees don't actually need a lot of water, but what they do use will be recycled,'' he said.

Mr Mackay said by 2013, most of the proposed 100 forests would be planted in time to be a centrepiece for Canberra's centenary celebrations.

A 40 million litre dam would be completed on the site in the near future.

The arboretum will have more than 100,000 trees from six continents, gardens, a proposed visitors' centre, gift shop, events terrace, amphitheatre and play areas.

Mr Mackay said the arboretum had the potential to become a great tourist attraction for Canberra.