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JETAA Queensland Activities

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~Photos and article from JETAA Queensland~

Hi from the JETAA Queensland committee and Cultural Consul Mr. Shusaku Hirashima!

We’d like to share some highlights from our year so far.

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January: 2014 Oshogatsu Dinner

無題The first JETAA event of the year was our ever-popular Oshogatsu Dinner at Nonbei Sake Bar and BBQ in Fortitude Valley. About 20 members, family and friends attended for an evening of great food and conversation. Cries of “oishii” and “natsukashii” reverberated around the table as people rediscovered flavours they had enjoyed so much during their time in Japan.

Our special event for the evening (besides the food) was in celebration of the Year of the Horse. Each person randomly chose the name of a horse that had won the Melbourne Cup over the last couple of centuries, including legends such as Archer, Carbine and Phar Lap, for the chance to win some prizes.

February: Hana wa Saku: a 1000 flowers will bloom project

On Sunday 16 February, a group of JETAA members, family and friends participated in the One Million People’s Flowers Will Bloom project. We sang “Hana wa Saku” for NHK to help spread the message about recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011.

The crew from NHK were in Queensland filming a documentary about disaster recovery after the floods of 2011 in the lead up to third anniversary of the Tohoku disaster. The song, “Hana wa Saku”, was written by composer Yoko Kanno and director Shunji Iwai as an outreach to the victims of the disaster and people throughout the world are encouraged to send in videos of their performances to NHK to show their support.

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We decided to sing the Japanese version for our performance. The day was both exciting and emotional as we took turns in small groups to sing different parts of the song. The final performance as a group in the acoustic of City Hall allowed our massed voices to bloom beautifully.

Our performance is available to view on the NHK website along with many other submissions from around the world:
http://www.nhk.or.jp/japan311/flowers/video/australia_5_0430.html#video

A big thank you to NHK Japan and Brisbane City Council for organising the event and for the opportunity to be part of such a fantastic project!

March: The University of Queensland Careers Fair

Every year, JETAA QLD organises a booth at a careers fair to promote the JET Programme to prospective graduates. This year we were at the University of Queensland and were ably assisted by Melissa Lawler from the Consulate-General of Japan and Hiromi Hakuta from CLAIR.

A steady stream of students dropped by the booth for information on the programme and to pick up some of the pamphlets and other goodies that CLAIR had provided. We have been promoting the programme at UQ for a few years now and we are noticing an increasing number of international students wanting information on applying for JET. This year, enquiries from international students, especially from China, far outnumbered those from Australian citizens and we were scrambling to dig up relevant information for them.

It’s great that there is so much enthusiasm for the programme but we will need to be better prepared in future to provide more specific information for overseas citizens, most of whom must apply through the Japanese embassies in their home countries.

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June: JET Pre-departure workshops

We had the opportunity to meet the new JET participants in the pre-departure workshops held at the Consulate-General of Japan during June and July. Around 40 participants were selected for departure from Brisbane this year – close to double the usual number! Many of them had lived in Japan previously as exchange students or had been on JET.

無題The first night was a Q&A session with ex-JETs and consulate staff covering everything from school life to driver’s licences and bank accounts. Afterwards we retired for a nijikai at Nagomi by the Brisbane River for a chance to discuss the programme more informally. Follow-up workshops on team teaching, Japanese language and culture were led by JETAA members with invaluable input from consulate staff.

A final farewell reception was hosted by the Consul-General Ms. Yoko Yanigasawa on 23 July. By now this year’s JET participants will be settling into their new lives in towns and cities from Kyushu to Hokkaido. We wish them all the very best on their impending adventures and when they decide to return to Queensland, we look forward to sharing all the memories and special moments they bring back with them.


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  •  On 1 June, we joined Burwood Council for a study session. These sessions have been held annually since 2024, making this the third exchange between our organisations.
     
    Representatives from the JLGC Sydney Office first introduced a project being implemented in Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, which is the home municipality of one of our Assistant Executive Directors. Under this project, high school students collaborate with local businesses to develop specialty products. Burwood Council participants showed particular interest in how participating businesses are selected and were eager to learn more about this aspect of the project. We then introduced Japan’s local government mascots, commonly known as yuru-chara, which play an important role in enhancing regional recognition and brand value, as well as communicating government initiatives in an accessible and engaging way. The participating Assistant Executive Directors introduced mascots from their respective local governments and organisations and explained the characters’ backgrounds, roles and activities. In response, Burwood Council participants asked a range of questions, including how mascot designs are submitted and how the final designs are selected.
     
     
     
    Burwood Council then provided an overview of its future-oriented urban development initiatives. Located approximately 15 minutes by train from central Sydney, Burwood currently has a population of around 45,000, which is expected to double over the next decade. In anticipation of this growth, as well as the planned opening of a new metro station in 2032, the Council outlined its approach to promoting high-density urban development alongside the enhancement of high-quality public spaces. Specific initiatives include the development of a new cultural facility that will serve as a hub for arts and culture, the installation of public art, and measures to stimulate the night-time economy and create a vibrant urban environment. The Council also explained its efforts to incorporate community input into urban planning through advisory committees made up of local residents and online consultation platforms that enable broad public participation.
     
     
     
    Following the discussion, we joined Burwood Council staff on a site visit to observe projects aimed at enhancing public spaces through public art and promoting the night-time economy. With development and revitalisation projects underway across many parts of the city, we were able to gain valuable insights into Burwood’s ongoing urban transformation.
    We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone at Burwood Council for providing us with this valuable learning opportunity.
     
         
  •  
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    ～Grand Prize – ¥500,000～
    SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN for the 15th Annual Manga Kingdom Tottori International Comic Art Contest!
    （Deadline: August 31st）
    ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
    The 15th edition of the Manga Kingdom Tottori International Comic Art Contest is now officially accepting entries – including the special ‘U-15 Youth Manga Artist Prize’ for entrants aged 15 and under. The contest is open to artists worldwide and submissions are accepted in any language!
    This year’s theme is ‘Clothing’.
    Entries will be accepted until Monday August 31st (JST).
    The Grand Prize winner will receive a cash prize of ¥500,000, and selected artists will be invited to Tottori Prefecture for the award ceremony. Winning works will be compiled into a professionally published collection. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this prestigious international celebration of comic art – get your entries in before the deadline!
    Website:

  • The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this correspondence in PDF.

  • Newsletter No.201

  • Ehime Prefecture is located along Japan’s Seto Inland Sea and is home to approximately 1.27 million people. It is known for its warm climate and outstanding scenic beauty, along with its long history of citrus cultivation. The prefecture is made up of many islands, with the unique landscape of the Seto Inland Sea spreading throughout. In recent years, Ehime has become increasingly popular as a tourist destination, welcoming many domestic and international visitors all year round.

       

    In 2027, Ehime Prefecture will host “Velo-city,” an international bicycle conference, for the first time in Japan. Velo-city is one of the largest academic conferences, bringing bicycle companies, researchers, and experts together from around the world. While discussing various topics including tourism, safety, and urban planning, participants can enjoy the cityscape of Matsuyama through a bicycle parade and will also be able to visit other parts of the prefecture via ‘technical visits’ (explained below).

     

    In recent years, Ehime Prefecture has become one of the leading centers of bicycle culture in Japan. Many local residents begin riding bicycles at a very young age, and the majority of high school students commute to school by bike. Furthermore, the prefecture boasts Japan’s highest helmet-wearing rate, demonstrating strong safety awareness throughout the community. This well-established environment, which allows people of all ages to use bicycles safely on a daily basis, positions Ehime Prefecture as a  center of Japan’s bicycle culture.

    Technical visits are guided tours that allow participants to explore various locations throughout the prefecture during Velo-city, featuring multiple courses with different themes. There is a course to learn about the infrastructure and scenery of the “Shimanami Kaido,” Japan’s representative maritime cycling route; a course to study safety education initiatives in schools by observing Japan’s typical morning school commute; and a course to experience the “Henro,” a pilgrimage to Buddhist temples, by bicycle. By participating in these technical visits and experiencing the local atmosphere, participants can gain valuable insights into the prefecture’s bicycle policies firsthand.

     

    On the second day (Wednesday, 26 May 2027), a spectacular bicycle parade will fill the city center. While showcasing the prefecture’s appeal as an international model bicycle city, the event will provide a chance for all participants to experience and share how bicycles act as a catalyst for regional revitalisation, bringing new possibilities for future urban space allocation, health, a sense of purpose in life, and friendship.

    During the four-day event, approximately 80 plenary breakout sessions will be held at the venue, with discussions centered around key themes and priorities. The conference program content will be determined by selecting proposals submitted during the abstract submission period, which begins in September. To encourage active exchange of diverse perspectives, Ehime welcomes a large number of submissions. Participants are invited to apply and help make this event a success.

  • Recently, I had the opportunity to attend an awards ceremony recognising outstanding achievement in Japanese-related studies, hosted by the Australia-Japan Society of NSW (AJS-NSW).

    On the day, certificates were presented to seven outstanding students nominated by seven universities[1] in the Greater Sydney region, and each recipient delivered a speech.

    All of the award recipients shared reflections along similar lines, such as: “Thanks to studying Japanese, I’ve had incredible experiences, like studying at a Japanese university through an exchange program and making friends from diverse backgrounds, that have truly changed my life.” Another common sentiment was: “Looking ahead, I hope to pursue a career related to Japan or possibly live there in the future, so I will continue to work hard to achieve these goals.”

    Learning and mastering a language other than one’s mother tongue is by no means an easy task. First and foremost, I would like to express my deep respect to the award recipients for their dedicated commitment to studying Japanese.

    I am also delighted that their language studies have sparked such a strong interest in Japan and a genuine desire to deepen their understanding. I was deeply impressed by their determination to maintain a connection with Japan long after graduation.

    On a personal note, I moved to Sydney last July, my first time living abroad, and I must admit that I still find speaking English challenging at times. However, seeing the dedication of the award recipients has inspired me to renew my own efforts. By conversing and connecting with others in English, I hope to further deepen my understanding of the local people, culture, and values in this region.

    [1] The seven universities were Macquarie University, The University of Newcastle, University of New England, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), The University of New South Wales (UNSW), The University of Sydney, and Western Sydney University.

  •  On Thursday, 21 May, representatives from Yamagata City, who came to Australia to exhibit at the Snow Travel Expo held in Melbourne and Sydney, paid a visit to CLAIR Sydney Office.
    During their visit, we outlined the role of our office and provided an overview of Australia’s society and economy, as well as the current state of inbound tourism to Japan.
     
    This led to an engaging discussion on the differences in industry structure between Japan and Australia and recent trends in inbound tourism.
     
     
     
    CLAIR Sydney also supports a wide range of initiatives undertaken by Japanese local governments in Australia and New Zealand. If you require assistance with your activities, please feel free to contact us.
     
     
  •  On 24 May, the Japan Festival 2026 was held in the City of Whitehorse, located approximately 15 km east of Melbourne.
    Around 100 booths and stalls lined the venue, offering Japanese goods and crafts as well as Japanese cuisine such as sushi and okonomiyaki. Visitors could also enjoy cultural activities including origami and shogi (Japanese chess). There were also a variety of stage performances, including taiko drumming, the Soran Bushi folk dance, and Tsugaru shamisen music, as well as kimono and cosplay contests. According to the organisers, the festival attracted approximately 5,500 visitors.
     
     
     
    CLAIR Sydney also hosted a booth, promoting the attractions of regions across Japan through tourism brochures and other materials. Among the visitors to our booth were people planning cruise trips to Japan, as well as others who said they had visited the country more than ten times, reflecting the enduring appeal of Japan as a travel destination. We also spoke to visitors who had started learning Japanese after their travels and were hoping to move there in the future, highlighting a strong interest in Japanese culture and way of life.
     
     
     
    This year marks the 55th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between the City of Whitehorse and Matsudo City in Chiba Prefecture. It is the longest-running Japan–Australia sister-city relationship in the state of Victoria. As part of the exchange program, the venue also displayed letters with hand-drawn illustrations created by residents of Matsudo , offering visitors a glimpse into the strong bond between the two cities.
     
  • On Tuesday, 12 May, the Australia-Japan Society of NSW (AJS-NSW) held an awards ceremony to recognise outstanding achievement in Japanese-related studies. Certificates were presented to seven students, each nominated by a university across the Sydney metropolitan area.
     
     
    Following the presentation ceremony, each award recipient delivered a speech, some in Japanese, reflecting on what inspired them to begin studying the language, its appeal, , the challenges they encountered during their studies, and their future aspirations. Their stories varied widely, ranging from students who began learning the language with the dream of working for a Japanese game company to those whose exchange experiences at Japanese universities enabled them to build friendships with people from around the world.
     
    Many of the students reflected on how learning Japanese had expanded their horizons and future possibilities and expressed their hope to continue taking on new challenges connected to Japan, including working or living there in the future.
    Learning and mastering a language other than one’s mother tongue is never easy. We were deeply moved by the speeches of these students, who spoke passionately about maintaining their connection with Japan even after graduation.
     
    CLAIR Sydney will continue to work closely with Japanese language education institutions and related organisations, further strengthening people-to-people exchanges through Japanese language and culture, and contributing to the ongoing development of Japan-Australia relations.

  • The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this correspondence in PDF.