During Foreign Minister Julie Bishop's recent visit to Tokyo, the Australian Ambassador HE Mr Bruce Miller hosted an event to mark the fortieth Anniversary of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation between Australia and Japan.
In her remarks, the Foreign Minister was at pains to highlight the depth and breadth of the bilateral relationship, singling out many of the ninety stakeholders who were present, including key political figures, business VIPs, as well as alumni, including AJF grant recipients who were present. The myriad grass-root connections were also represented by members of the Japan-Australia societies and Mayors from many of the 106 Japanese municipalities that have active sister-city relationships with Australia.
The Foreign Minister celebrated the establishment of the Australia Japan Foundation (AJF) in 1976 and the important contribution the AJF has made to the bilateral relationship since then. She focused, in particular, on the contribution to recovery in Tohoku after the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake of 2011.
