On 21 Apr, Mr FUKUSHIMA Akihiko, Senior Executive Director; and Ms ARAKI Kyoko, Chief of the Planning and Exchange Section; from the Fukuoka International Exch…
Blog Archives
Supporting Activity for Nagoya City University
On 9 Apr, the 2019 UNSW Exchange Expo was held at the University of New South Wales for students to find out information about exchange programs and overseas study …
Professor Mika Nishimura from Seikei University came to Sydney
From 26 to 28 February, Professor Mika Nishimura, from the Political Science Division of the Faculty of Law at Seikei University in Tokyo came to Sydney to conduc…
The Naha Port Authority came to Sydney
From 19 to 23 February, the Naha Port Authority came to Sydney for port sales activities and research on the development of the Sydney Harbour waterfront.
CLAIR S…
The 10th anniversary of the sister city relationship between Timaru and Eniwa
The 10th anniversary of the sister city relationship between Timaru in New Zealand and Eniwa in Hokkaido.
On 19 February, the celebration of the 10th anniversar…
The Flight Centre World Travel Expo 2018 in Melbourne
The Flight Centre World Travel Expo 2018 was held at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on 17-18 February. CLAIR Sydney supported Hokkaido (Hokkaido T…
Support activities for Okayama
On 10-11 February, a few officials from the Okayama Prefectural government visited CLAIR Sydney. This year is the 25th anniversary of the Sister-State relatio…
Support activities for the Hokkaido Legislative Members Association for JPN-AUS Friendship Promotion
From 17 to 20 November, The Hokkaido Legislative Members Association for JPN-AUS Friendship Promotion visited Sydney and Brisbane to learn more about Austral…
Support activities for the Hokkaido Construction Technology Centre
On 6 November, the Hokkaido Construction Technology Centre visited CLAIR Sydney to have a meeting with Mr Graham Tomkinson, Emergency Management Officer, NSW …
Aomori students visited our office
On 2 November, a group of junior high school students from Sannohe town in Aomori prefecture visited our office. Sannohe has a sister city relationship with Tamw…
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Kitakyushu Manga Museum is now accepting entries for its Four-Panel Manga Competition.<Entry Details>Divisions: General Division, Junior Division (for participants aged 12 or under as of April 1, 2027)* Open to both professional and amateur manga creatorsTheme: “Sing”（theme for both the General and Junior Divisions）Eligible Works: Original, unpublished works created by the entrant themselves
Entry Period: From 11:00 AM (JST) on Monday, June 1, 2026, to 2:00 PM (JST) on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
<Announcement of Award-Winning Works >The winners will be announced on the official Kitakyushu International Manga Competition website from late November to early December 2026. The winning entries and selected outstanding works will also be published on the website.
<How to Apply >All entries must be submitted through the official website.Entrants should complete the online entry form and upload a digital file of their work.For inquiries about submissions: manga@kitakyushu-mangataisho.comOther inquiries: manga@city.kitakyushu.lg.jp
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Newsletter No.202
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The latest issue of our correspondence is released.
View this correspondence in PDF.
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Located in the heart of Japan, Nagano Prefecture is known for its majestic mountains, rich natural environment, and distinctive local products, including apples, sake, and other regional specialties. In recent years, the prefecture has been expanding its international outreach by promoting its food, beverages, tourism, and cultural appeal to overseas audiences.
As part of these efforts, Nagano Prefecture recently made its first appearance at the Perth Japan Festival and also hosted a special “Nagano Night” event in the city. The following contribution from Nagano Prefecture introduces these initiatives and shares the prefecture’s observations on Western Australia, including the economic landscape, the community’s response to Japan-related events, and opportunities for further engagement with Australia.
Nagano Prefecture Makes Its Debut at the Perth Japan Festival
Nagano Prefecture made its first-ever appearance at the Perth Japan Festival, Western Australia’s largest Japanese cultural event. This year’s event was held in collaboration with Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of Australia–Japan friendship.
Set in a vast outdoor park in the heart of the city, the festival featured a temporary shrine and a traditional Bon Odori tower, creating an authentic Japanese atmosphere. Attendance reached a record high of approximately 27,000 visitors. Products brought over from Nagano, including apple juice and seasoned rice mixes infused with shichimi spice, sold out quickly.
Western Australia spans an area seven times the size of Japan yet is home to just 3.06 million people. Its capital, Perth, located on the state’s western edge, is widely recognised as one of the world’s most liveable cities. Driven by abundant natural resources such as iron ore and LNG, the region boasts the highest per capita GDP in Australia. The population has a relatively high proportion of residents of European descent, and the area has attracted migrants from a variety of backgrounds in recent years.
As of 2025, the Japanese resident population stands at 8,614. In addition, Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has secured a contract for 11 Mogami-class frigates. While the first three vessels will be built in Japan, the remaining ships are scheduled for construction in Henderson, near Perth.
Looking ahead, several major Japan-related projects are lined up across Western Australia. These include one of the world’s largest hydrogen and ammonia initiatives led by Kawasaki Heavy Industries in partnership with Wood Energy, as well as plans for a nuclear-powered submarine base that may host visits from Japan’s Self-Defense Forces.
However, Perth faces a growing challenge in housing supply. Demand continues to outstrip availability, pushing prices steadily upward. Despite interest rates exceeding 6%, many investors are purchasing properties outright in cash, prompting the state government to consider regulatory measures.
One common observation among Japanese expatriates is the limited number of Japanese restaurants. Unlike Sydney and Melbourne on the east coast, where Japanese cuisine has firmly taken off, Perth is still catching up. That said, UDON noodle restaurants in the city are gaining popularity, often attracting long queues.
Interestingly, the coastline around Perth is rich in marine life. Sea urchins and abalone are found in abundance, while fish such as snapper and horse mackerel can reportedly be caught in large numbers, even without bait. For many Japanese residents, heading out for an evening fishing trip to catch dinner has become part of daily life. Western Australia truly offers a bounty from the sea.
Nagano Night in Perth
Alongside the daytime Japan Festival, a two-night “Nagano Night” event was held at a Japanese restaurant in the city. Tickets, priced at over ＄85, sold out on the very same day.
Guests were treated to a full-course Japanese dining experience showcasing premium ingredients from Nagano, paired with Nagano-produced apple juice, sake, and beer, an evening that truly captured the region’s flavors.
Highlights included English-language presentations by participating businesses from Nagano, along with a stunning 4K screening of promotional videos produced by the prefecture. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with many guests commenting on how genuinely moving and memorable the experience was.
We look forward to seeing the ties between Nagano Prefecture and Australia continue to grow even stronger.
Komei KONDO Chief International Strategies Officer, Nagano Prefecture Government
Learn more about Nagano Prefecture:
▪Official Nagano promotional video:
https://nagano-brand.net/en/▪Highlights from “Nagano Night in Perth”: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWEUmzhETMt/?igsh=MWs4dHk3dGFoeHZzeA==
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No account of the history of nature conservation in Japan would be complete without mentioning the Japanese Crested Ibis, known as the toki in Japanese. It is widely regarded as one of Japan’s most symbolic birds, and its scientific name is Nipponia nippon.
The toki is a large waterbird measuring about 80 centimetres in length with a wingspan exceeding 130 centimetres.
Its plumage is mostly white in colour, and its appearance is somewhat reminiscent of the Australian White Ibis, a familiar sight in many Australian cities. The toki’s wings and tail feathers have a delicate pinkish hue, and watching it soar through the sky is truly a beautiful sight.Historically, the species was found across Japan, China, the Korean Peninsula, and Taiwan. In Japan, the toki once widely inhabited rural areas, wetlands, and other natural environments.
However, from the late nineteenth century to the twentieth century, its population declined rapidly due to overhunting for its feathers, agricultural expansion, and a reduction in food sources caused by the widespread use of pesticides.The habitats that once supported the toki were rich natural environments shared not only by the toki itself but also by a wide variety of other species.
For this reason, efforts to protect and breed the toki are still important not only from the perspective of conserving biodiversity, but also in terms of restoring the rich natural environments that once existed throughout Japan. Against this backdrop, Japan began full-scale conservation efforts for the toki around 1970.A significant development came in 1981, when seven wild toki, previously believed to be extinct, were discovered in China. Conservation and breeding efforts soon began there as well, and in 1999, China presented Japan with a breeding pair of toki, which produced Japan’s first captive-bred chick.
Despite these efforts, the last wild-born toki in Japan died in 2003, marking the extinction of the country’s wild population.
However, Japan subsequently established successful captive-breeding techniques and the species also bega
n breeding successfully in the wild in Sado, the last refuge of the species in Japan before its extinction in the wild. Today, the wild population has recovered to an estimated 500 or more individuals, and the toki can once again be seen flying freely, particularly over Sado.Until recently, captive-bred toki had been released only in Sado. However, because the long-term survival of the species in Japan depends on having populations distributed across multiple regions rather than concentrated in a single area, release efforts have now been extended beyond Sado.
In May 2026, the first release of the toki outside Sado took place in the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture. Noto was the last place on the Japanese mainland where the toki survived in the wild until 1970. More than half a century later, many people in Japan have been deeply moved to see the toki flying once again over Noto.
Once lost from Japan’s skies, Nipponia nippon now flies there again, its beautiful, pink-tinted feathers catching the light. The return of a species once extinct in the wild stands as a testament to decades of dedicated conservation efforts. It also reminds us of the importance of preserving a world in which people and nature can coexist in harmony for future generations to come.
Photo sources:
Ministry of the Environment, Japan
Ishikawa Prefectural Government -
Pre-Departure Orientations for New JET Participants
JET Programme Pre-Departure Orientations were held at embassies and consulates across Australia and New Zealand for new JETs.The orientations featured informative sessions led by a consulate official, who covered key points for new participants, as well as valuable advice and Q&A sessions facilitated by JETAA (JET Alumni Association) members.CLAIR Sydney also provided an overview of our role in the JET Programme, including the support system and training we offer for new JETs.
The new JETs will be departing for Japan between late July and early August. During their time on the JET Programme, we hope they will gain a wide range of experiences and broaden their horizons in their respective placements across the country. We also hope that, through grassroots exchanges with the Japanese people, they will serve as a bridge connecting Japan, Australia and New Zealand. We wish them all a wonderful and fulfilling time in Japan.For more details about the JET Programme, visit the JET Programme official website below:
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On Saturday, 20 June, CLAIR Sydney travelled to Lismore, New South Wales, to participate in the Lismore Lantern Parade at the invitation of Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg.Held annually on the Saturday closest to the winter solstice, the Lismore Lantern Parade is one of the city’s signature winter events, attracting more than 30,000 visitors each year. Together with representatives of Lismore City Council and the Consulate-General of Japan in Sydney, CLAIR Sydney carried a lantern featuring Miku-chan, the mascot of Yamato-Takada City in Nara Prefecture.This lantern symbolizes the longstanding ties between Yamato-Takada and Lismore, whose sister-city partnership, established in 1963, was the first between Japan and Australia.Prior to the parade, we visited the Southern Cross University Japan-Australia Centre, where we received a warm welcome from university staff and students. We also visited an exhibition dedicated to Father Tony Glynn, a Lismore native who devoted his life to fostering friendship and understanding between Japan and Australia in the years following the Second World War. As 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation between Japan and Australia, this visit provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on the importance of passing on the legacy of Japan–Australia friendship to future generations.
CLAIR Sydney looks forward to continuing to support sister-city relationships and broader cooperation between local governments in Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.
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From 23 to 25 June, the 2026 National General Assembly (NGA) of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) was held in Canberra, bringing together more than 1,100 mayors, councillors and local government representatives from across Australia. This event featured keynote presentations and discussions on a wide range of issues facing local governments.
One of the key topics was the financial crisis affecting local government across Australia. Delegates unanimously adopted an emergency motion calling on the Australian Parliament to ensure a fairer distribution of funding by increasing untied Financial Assistance Grants, noting that the current level of funding is threatening the viability of local governments.
CLAIR Sydney hosted a booth at the venue to introduce our activities and promote two upcoming initiatives.
The first is the CLAIR Forum(1), scheduled to be held in Sydney on 2 December 2026, where local government representatives from Japan, Australia and New Zealand will present case studies and exchange ideas and initiatives.
The second is the Local Government Exchange and Cooperation Seminar(2), to be held in Goka Town, Ibaraki Prefecture, in February next year. Senior local government executives from Australia and New Zealand will attend to learn about Japan’s local government and administration.
At the Gala Dinner on the final day, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese delivered a speech, highlighting the vital role local governments play in providing the services and infrastructure Australians rely on every day, including local roads, bridges, community facilities, parks and libraries. He also emphasised the importance of continued investment in, and partnership with, local governments to build stronger communities and a better future for Australia.
Participating in the NGA provided a valuable opportunity to deepen our understanding of the various challenges facing local governments in Australia, while also strengthening our network with local government representatives from across the country.
1. An annual forum bringing together local government representatives from Japan, Australia and New Zealand to exchange views on shared challenges in local administration.2. A 7-day seminar offering a unique opportunity to learn about the Japanese local government system and visit a local government area in Japan to explore best practices and innovative initiatives. -
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 CLAIR Sydney first introduced a project being implemented in Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, which is the home municipality of one of our Assistant 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 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.
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～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!