Australian Minister for Trade and Competitiveness, Craig Emerson held talks on the Australia-Japan relationship and delivered a keynote speech to political and business leaders during his visit to Tokyo from 30 May - 1 June 2012. Read More

• Address by Craig Emerson Minister for Trade and Competitiveness to the Japan-Australia Business Cooperation Committee

From 16 to 18 May, in his first visit to Tokyo as Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Bob Carr held a series of bilateral meetings– together with his Japanese counterpart Koichiro Gemba – and signed the Australia-Japan Information Security Agreement (ISA). Read More

• Address by Bob Carr Minister for Foreign Affairs to the Japan National Press Club

Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs Richard Marles visited Japan from 24 to 26 May to attend the sixth Pacific Islands Leaders' Meeting (PALM6) held in Nago City, Okinawa. During his visit to Japan, Mr Marles also met Japan's Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr Joe Nakano, and Pacific Island leaders attending PALM. Read More

The past four weeks have highlighted just how close and active the relationship between Australia and Japan is, with a very high level of political interaction between our countries. On 16-18 May, Australia's new Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon. Bob Carr made his first visit to Japan since his appointment, holding productive in-depth discussions with his counterpart Minister Koichiro Gemba, and meeting the then Defence Minister Naoki Tanaka, Minister for the Economy, Trade and Industry Yukio Edano, and Deputy Prime Minister Katsuya Okada. Read More

Australia will play a leading role in increasing scientific knowledge of our universe following the announcement that it will share the hosting of the $1.9 billion Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope with South Africa. Read More

Following her ground-breaking research on a cancer affecting Australia's Tasmanian devils, Australian scientist Anne-Maree Pearse has been named the 15th winner of the prestigious Prince Hitachi Prize for Comparative Oncology. Read More

More than 20 people from the Australian Embassy Tokyo travelled to Minami Sanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, to participate in the 13th Recovery Market event held on Sunday 29 April. This was the second time the Embassy has set up a stall at the market – Australia first participated in the event in October last year. Read More

• Australian assistance to Papua New Guinea elections
• Australia a key ally in the fight against global hunger
• OECD reports Australia the happiest nation
• Vital aid assistance for Afghanistan
• A stronger economy for a fair Australia
• Budget 2012-13 Defence Budget Overview
• Release of final Defence Force Posture Review report
• Release of revised National Carbon Offset Scheme
• Pluto LNG Project in Production

20 April 2012
Director of the National Institute of Dramatic Art Lynne Williams visited Tokyo and gave a talk about NIDA and its vital role in Australia's culture and innovation infrastructure. Read More

15 - 30 June 2012
The fourteenth annual Short Shorts Film Festival - founded by Japanese actor Tetsuya Bessho - will be held in June. Over 4,400 entries have been submitted from 112 countries, with the best 100 selected including five Australian films for screening during the festival. Films will be screened in venues in Harajuku, Omotesando and Yokohama. Read More

14 July - 24 December 2012
The 2012 Water and Land - Niigata Art Festival will be held from 14 July to 24 December 2012 at the former Bandaijima Fish Market near the mouth of the Shinano River and the Port of Niigata. The theme of this second triennial festival is 'turning points'. Many individuals and groups of artists including Australia's Anne Graham will be exhibiting their works and interactive projects. Locals will also hold a range of events to showcase Niigata attractions. Read More

• Wine Australia Japan's annual consumer wine tasting event will be held on 18 June at the Westin Hotel in Tokyo. You can enjoy a wide range of premium Australian wine with delicious buffet dinner prepared by the Westin chefs. Discover the quality and regional and stylistic diversity of A+ Australian Wine. There will also be a silent auction to help raise funds for Tohoku recovery projects managed by the Australia-Japan Foundation. Please reserve your seat before 8 June. Read More