Greeting from the Consul-General
2025/7/18
Message from Consul-General: The Importance of People-to-People Ties
Japan-Australia relations are deepening to an unprecedented level. According to the 2025 Lowy Institute survey, Japan is now the most trusted country among Australians. The people-to-people exchanges that form the foundation of this relationship have also seen significant growth. Last year alone, approximately 920,000 travelers from Australia, a nation of 27.4 million, visited Japan. In the six months from January to June this year alone, that number has already exceeded 560,000, marking the highest figures in history. Recent exchange rates may have contributed to the trend of increased tourism, but it is the deepening friendship and trust between Japan and Australia that has played the most significant role.
This year, the World Expo, which is held every five years, is taking place in Osaka, Japan, until October, attracting large numbers of visitors from both Japan and abroad. Among the pavilions representing countries worldwide, the Australian Pavilion, which I visited in April, is particularly popular, offering a chance to enjoy Australia's beautiful nature, diverse ancient cultures, and delicious food and drinks.
Osaka, the host city for the Expo, has been a sister city of Melbourne since 1978, maintaining active exchanges, including mutual visits by their mayors. There are over 100 sister state and city relations between Japan and Australia. In Victoria alone, where our Consulate General is located, there are 18 such relationships. The sister state relationship between Victoria and Aichi Prefecture, where Nagoya is located, celebrates its 45th anniversary this year. Last October, Governor of Victoria, Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC, visited Nagoya during the Japan-Australia Joint Business Conference. A delegation from Aichi Prefecture is considering a visit to Victoria in the latter half of this year to commemorate the 45th anniversary.
Beyond mutual visits by leaders, student exchanges, including homestays, are flourishing among many sister states and cities. In fact, it is not uncommon for ongoing exchanges between sister schools to be the starting point for establishing sister city relations.. Since taking up my post last November, I have had the opportunity to attend these exchange events and have witnessed warm heartfelt exchanges. I have also met many mayors of Victorian cities which have sister city relations with Japan. One of these cities even has a room in its town hall named after its Japanese sister city. Furthermore, when I briefly returned to Japan, some of the Japanese sister cities I visited had set up exhibition corner introducing their Victorian sister cities. This truly made me feel that these sister city relations are deeply rooted in the hearts of local people.
People-to-people exchanges through sister cities have significantly contributed to grassroots mutual understanding between our two countries. Many school-level exchanges have deepened not only young people's cross-cultural understanding, but also of their own country, Australia. There are also cases where sister states and cities send trade missions to their counterparts, accompanied by local business organisations. These bilateral relationships can bring a wide range of benefits to both sides. It will be important to consider, how these existing relationships can be leveraged to make them even more meaningful in the long term.
Japan and Australia are "Special Strategic Partners" and share a mature relationship that will mark the 50th anniversary of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation next year. This relationship continues to strengthen across diverse fields, including politics, economy and culture. As the Consul-General of Japan in Melbourne, I strive daily to further strengthen the Japan-Australia relationship across all areas. Among these efforts, promoting people-to-people exchanges, business cooperation, and academic exchanges between Japan and Australia, and strengthening sister city relationships, are key pillars of my mission. This is because I believe that grassroots exchanges, where people visit each other’s countries or host people from the other country and gain firsthand understanding, are the foundation of a long lasting friendship between Japan and Australia. Moving forward, I hope to further strengthen business cooperation, including support for Japanese and Australian startups to increase not only tourist flows, but also the exchanges between business professionals. As a Japanese person who experiences the charm of Australia every day in Melbourne, I sincerely hope that people-to-people exchanges between Japan and Australia will continue to grow, and that mutual understanding between our two countries will deepen even further in the years to come.
17 July 2025
Consul-General of Japan in Melbourne
FURUYA Tokuro
This year, the World Expo, which is held every five years, is taking place in Osaka, Japan, until October, attracting large numbers of visitors from both Japan and abroad. Among the pavilions representing countries worldwide, the Australian Pavilion, which I visited in April, is particularly popular, offering a chance to enjoy Australia's beautiful nature, diverse ancient cultures, and delicious food and drinks.
Osaka, the host city for the Expo, has been a sister city of Melbourne since 1978, maintaining active exchanges, including mutual visits by their mayors. There are over 100 sister state and city relations between Japan and Australia. In Victoria alone, where our Consulate General is located, there are 18 such relationships. The sister state relationship between Victoria and Aichi Prefecture, where Nagoya is located, celebrates its 45th anniversary this year. Last October, Governor of Victoria, Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC, visited Nagoya during the Japan-Australia Joint Business Conference. A delegation from Aichi Prefecture is considering a visit to Victoria in the latter half of this year to commemorate the 45th anniversary.
Beyond mutual visits by leaders, student exchanges, including homestays, are flourishing among many sister states and cities. In fact, it is not uncommon for ongoing exchanges between sister schools to be the starting point for establishing sister city relations.. Since taking up my post last November, I have had the opportunity to attend these exchange events and have witnessed warm heartfelt exchanges. I have also met many mayors of Victorian cities which have sister city relations with Japan. One of these cities even has a room in its town hall named after its Japanese sister city. Furthermore, when I briefly returned to Japan, some of the Japanese sister cities I visited had set up exhibition corner introducing their Victorian sister cities. This truly made me feel that these sister city relations are deeply rooted in the hearts of local people.
People-to-people exchanges through sister cities have significantly contributed to grassroots mutual understanding between our two countries. Many school-level exchanges have deepened not only young people's cross-cultural understanding, but also of their own country, Australia. There are also cases where sister states and cities send trade missions to their counterparts, accompanied by local business organisations. These bilateral relationships can bring a wide range of benefits to both sides. It will be important to consider, how these existing relationships can be leveraged to make them even more meaningful in the long term.
Japan and Australia are "Special Strategic Partners" and share a mature relationship that will mark the 50th anniversary of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation next year. This relationship continues to strengthen across diverse fields, including politics, economy and culture. As the Consul-General of Japan in Melbourne, I strive daily to further strengthen the Japan-Australia relationship across all areas. Among these efforts, promoting people-to-people exchanges, business cooperation, and academic exchanges between Japan and Australia, and strengthening sister city relationships, are key pillars of my mission. This is because I believe that grassroots exchanges, where people visit each other’s countries or host people from the other country and gain firsthand understanding, are the foundation of a long lasting friendship between Japan and Australia. Moving forward, I hope to further strengthen business cooperation, including support for Japanese and Australian startups to increase not only tourist flows, but also the exchanges between business professionals. As a Japanese person who experiences the charm of Australia every day in Melbourne, I sincerely hope that people-to-people exchanges between Japan and Australia will continue to grow, and that mutual understanding between our two countries will deepen even further in the years to come.
17 July 2025
Consul-General of Japan in Melbourne
FURUYA Tokuro