As we mark the 50th anniversary of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, this milestone year offers a moment to reflect on five decades of partnership, shared values, and enduring collaboration.
The events, initiatives and activities listed below have been formally approved to feature the special 50th anniversary logo, highlighting their contribution to this significant year.
Multi-month events
31 January-18 April 2026 – Nature Within: The Architecture of Toyo Ito
Place of event: Level 4, Central Park, 28 Broadway, Chippendale, NSW.
Event website: Nature Within: The Architecture of Toyo Ito – Japan Foundation, Sydney
Mid-February-end March 2026 – And Over to You: Five Conversations on Sample Return Missions by Tomoko Kate Kitagawa
Event recap: And Over to You: Five Conversations on Sample Return Missions - Lot Fourteen.
7 April-29 May 2026 – The Origami Art of Tomoko Fuse
Place of event: Kerry Packer Civic Gallery, Level 3, Hawke Building, Adelaide University, 55 North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000.
Event website: Tomoko - The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre - Adelaide University.
Year-round – Tokyo City University Australia Exchange Program
Exchange program locations: Multiple – Perth, Brisbane, Gold Coast.
Participating universities: Tokyo City University, Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University, Queensland University of Technology, Southern Cross University.
February
2 and 4 February 2026 – Japan Roadshow 2026
Sydney – 2 February 2026
Place of event: Doltone House Hyde Park, 3/181 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, NSW.
Brisbane – 4 February 2026
Place of event: The W Brisbane Hotel, 81 North Quay, Brisbane City, QLD.
Event recap: JNTO Japan Roadshow 2026 draws 320+ Aussie advisors.
26 February 2026 – Perth USAsia: Japan Symposium
Event recap: Japan Symposium 2026 - Perth USAsia Centre.
March
1-14 March 2026 – Sojo University-Curtin University Pharmacy Exchange Perth Training Program 2026
Place of event: Curtin University, Bentley, WA; various locations around Perth, WA.
4 March 2026 – CLAIR Symposium
Place of event: University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Building 1, Level 22, Room 10, 15 Broadway, Ultimo NSW 2007.
Event highlights: Instagram - Japan Local Government Centre (CLAIR SYDNEY).
4 March 2026 – Australia Food Seminar (co-hosted by the Consulate-General of Japan in Sydney and JETRO Sydney)
Event recap: Consulate Event Gallery | Consulate-General of Japan, Sydney.
9-23 March 2026; 10-24 March 2026 – Japan-Australia Education Exchange Program (various Australian secondary schools)
Place of event: Shibuya, Tokyo and Melbourne, Australia.
13 March 2026 – Australia-Japan Canberra Space and Cyber Forum
Place of event: Canberra, ACT.
Event recap: LinkedIn - Canberra Cyber Hub.
14 March 2026 – Perth Japan Festival
Place of event: 103 Birdiya Dr, Perth, WA.
Event highlights: Instagram - Perth Japan Festival official.
14, 16-17 March 2026 – Nagano Prefecture Products Promotion Program in Perth
Place of event: Langley Park, Perth (Perth Japan Festival) and Mon Japanese Bistro.
20 March 2026 – 8th Annual Australia-Japan International Women's Day, Innovation Through Inclusion for a STEM-Ready Society
Place of event: National Communication Museum, 375 Burwood Road, Hawthorn VIC 3122.
LinkedIn - Australia Japan Business Council of Victoria.
23 March 2026 – Understanding Japan’s Economic Security Policy
Place of event: Webinar (online), co-hosted by the Australia-Japan Research Centre at the Australian National University (ANU) and the Embassy of Japan in Australia.
Event recap: LinkedIn – Professor Arata Kuno.
30 March 2026 – Forging the Next 50 Years: Australian Investment Opportunities in Japan
Place of event: Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney.
Event website: Forging the Next 50 Years: Australian Investment Opportunities in Japan.
April
28 April 2026 – Nikkei Asia Forum Perth 2026
Place of event: Perth, WA, and online.
Event website: Nikkei Asia Forum Perth 2026.
May
1-10 May 2026 and 8-17 May 2026 – Cinema Reborn film festival
Sydney – 1-10 May 2026
Place of event: Ritz Cinemas Randwick, 45 St Pauls St, Randwick, NSW.
Melbourne – 8-17 May 2026
Place of event: Lido Cinemas Hawthorn, 675 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn, VIC.
The Japan Foundation will organise the screening of a Japanese film.
Event website: Cinema Reborn.
16-17 May 2026 – Australian Sake Awards
Place of event: Wentworth Park Sporting Complex, Glebe, NSW.
Event website: Australian Sake Awards.
June
2 June 2026 – JP-AU Resilient Energy Futures – Navigating Pathways to Net Zero
Place of event: The Westin Perth, Perth, WA.
6 June 2026 – RISING Melbourne Day Tripper Music Festival, supported by The Japan Foundation
Place of event: Melbourne Town Hall, VIC.
Event website: RISING: Day Tripper at Melbourne Town Hall.
8 June 2026 – Tumbalong Nights (Vivid Sydney), supported by The Japan Foundation
Place of event: Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour, Sydney, NSW.
Event website: Hugen + Niko Niko Tan Tan | Tumbalong Nights.
19-21 June 2026 – Australian Sake Festival 2026
Place of event: John Reid Pavillion, Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane, QLD
Event website: Sake Festival - Brisbane.
30 June 2026 – Gala Dinner Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Australia and Japan
Co-hosted by the National Federation of Australia Japan Societies and the Australia Japan Business Co-operation Committee (invitation only).
Place of event: Great Hall, Parliament House, Canberra, ACT.
July
4-5 July 2026 – Australian Sake Festival 2026
Place of event: Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne, VIC
Event website: Sake Festival - Melbourne.
August
22 August 2026 – Ikenobo Sydney Chapter 30th Anniversary Exhibition and Demonstration
Place of event: The Art Gallery of NSW.
Event website: Celebration of Ikenobo Sydney chapter’s 30th anniversary commemorative ikebana exhibition.
26 August 2026 – Nikkei Asia Forum Sydney 2026
Place of event: Sydney CBD.
26-28 August 2026 – International Workshop on Network for Translingual Japanese (IWTNJ 2026)
Place of event: Mangrove Hotel, Broome, WA.
Event website: International Workshop on Network for Translingual Japanese.
30 August 2026 – Shinju Matsuri - Floating Lanterns Matsuri
Place of event: Gantheaume Beach, Minyirr, WA.
Event website: Floating Lanterns Matsuri — Shinju Matsuri.
September
7-20 September 2026 – South West Japan Festival
Place of event: Bunbury, Busselton, Dunsborough, Harvey (all WA).
Event website: South West Japan Festival.
10 September 2026 – Australian Sake Awards – gala dinner
Place of event: Park Royal Darling Harbour, Sydney, NSW.
Event website: Australian Sake Awards.
11-13 September 2026 – Australian Sake Festival 2026
Place of event: Overseas Passenger Terminal, Sydney, NSW
Event website: Sake Festival - Sydney.
October
30-31 October 2026 – 2026 National Symposium on Japanese Language Education
Place of event: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Brunton Ave, Richmond, VIC.
Event website: NSJLE – National Symposium on Japanese Language Education.