Australia-Japan Foundation

The Australia-Japan Foundation (AJF) was established by the Australian Government in 1976 to expand and develop contact and exchange between the peoples of Australia and Japan and to help project positive images of Australia and Japan in each other's country.

As a part of the implementation of the Australian Government's response to the Review of Corporate Governance of Statutory Authorities and Office Holders, the Australia-Japan Foundation was re-formed within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 1 December 2006.

The AJF has its headquarters in Canberra and is supported by an office at the Australian Embassy in Tokyo.

Key Activities

Projects and programs supported by the Foundation help promote people-to-people engagement across a diverse range of sectors, including the arts, education, science and technology, sport, local government, community services and business.

The Foundation's annual work program focuses on activities which are aligned with its strategic objectives, which are to:

1. increase understanding in Japan of shared interests with Australia;
2. increase understanding in Australia of the importance of Japan to Australia as an economic and strategic partner; and
3. increase recognition in Japan of Australian excellence and expertise.

More Information

• Strategic Plan (PDF)
• Advisory Board
• Contact Us

Major Programs

Experience Australia Educational Kit
Practical teaching materials for loan.

Discover Australia
On-line studying reference that introduces Australia to schools.

Discover Eco Australia
Multimedia teaching aid to introduce Australian environmental studies for schools.

Asialink
Strategic Ties for the Arts Program

Asialink Art Residencies

AJF Funded Publications

Research Report supported by the Australia-Japan Foundation Peacebuilding and National Interests - Meeting the challenge with a Model of Australian-Japanese Cooperation - by Strategic Research Institute of International Change

Report by Dr Malcolm Cook and Dr Thomas Wilkins, The Quiet Achiever: Australia-Japan Security Relations

Report by the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, Doing Business with Japan: The Perspective of Australian Companies. Findings from the Australia-Japan Business Survey 2008-09.

2010 Crawford-Nishi Lecture, Prospects for APEC and the Australia-Japan Relationship, by Professor Kazumasa Iwata, President of the Economic and Social Research Institute of the Japanese Cabinet Office.

Report by Dr Malcolm Cook and Mr Andrew Shearer, Lowy Institute for International Policy: Going Global: An Australia-Japan Agenda for Multilateral Cooperation, 2009

Report by Dr Ryo Sahashi, 2009, AJF Funded Postdoctoral Fellow, Australian National University Conceptualising the Three-Tier Approach to Analyse the Security Arrangements in the Asia-Pacific

Report by Mr Andrew Cornell and Mr Manuel Panagiotopoulos, Australia and Japan: Beyond the Mainstream

Articles by Ryebuck Media in Studies of Society and Environment, a magazine for Australian high schools