Held 18-19 August and coinciding with the start of Japan Week in Brisbane, the workshop promoted further recognition of the bilateral relationship between Australia and Japan and focused on how best to foster more informed perceptions in Australia and Japan on a variety of issues.
Mr John McCarthy AO, National President, The Australian Institute of International Affairs and Professor Tsutomu Kikuchi, The Japan Institute of International Affairs/Professor, Aoyama Gakuin University opened the workshop.
Representatives from the Japanese Government, media, the Australian Institute of International Affairs, the Japan Institute of International Affairs and academics from Japanese and Australian universities participated in the two-day workshop.
The workshop was supported by the Commonwealth through the Australia-Japan Foundation which is part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade” and the Japan Foundation
Over the two days key areas of discussion included: security relations in a new
century; current challenges in the domestic and international environment; the
whaling issue, and regional perspectives of the Australia — Japan relationship and its
significance.
Pictured are workshop participants.
Discussions at the workshop will be used to prepare an outcomes paper to be
distributed in Australia and Japan on ways to better inform Governments and the
wider community on issues of mutual concern.