Australia-Japan Society of NSW upcoming events

Film screening - The Making of a Japanese (29 Oct 2026)

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 07:00:00 GMT

The Making of a Japanese - free film screening

AJS-NSW, in collaboration with The Japan Foundation, Sydney, is presenting a screening of the documentary "The Making of a Japanese".

The Making of a Japanese is a documentary film that chronicles life at a large Japanese elementary school in suburban Tokyo. Filmmaker Ema Ryan Yamazaki, who herself attended a similar elementary school, distilled over 700 hours of footage taken during the Covid-19 pandemic, into a compelling examination of how Japanese schools cultivate culturally distinct characteristics in young students.

The film follows first- and sixth-grade students across a full academic year. By observing daily rituals—morning greetings, lunch service, cleaning duties, assemblies—the filmmaker says she sought to document the subtle mechanisms of socialization that operate beneath the surface of formal education and are formative for the Japanese national character.

The film has received numerous awards, and a shorter adaptation entitled Instruments of a Beating Heart, received a nomination for Best Documentary Short Film at the 97th Academy Awards. For more information about the film see here: LINK.

Prior to the screening, we will have a brief introduction to the Japanese education system, from two perspectives.

Yoshiko Miyata is the principal at the Sydney Japanese International School; she has more than 30 years experience in Japanese public schools at elementary and junior high level, including as an English teacher.

Kurtis Carter has recently returned from two years on the JET program teaching in Iwaki, Fukushima, where he developed and has presented on evidence-based English instruction for elementary students. He is currently Vice President of the Japanese Teachers Association of NSW.

The film runs for 90 minutes. The event is free but seats are limited and registration is essential.

This is another event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Australia and Japan.

Spring in Sydney 2026: Australia-Japan Harbourside Reception (05 Nov 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Spring in Sydney 2026:

Australia-Japan Harbourside Reception

Thursday NOVEMBER 5 2026

EVENT ALMOST AT CAPACITY; JOIN THE WAITLIST AND WE WILL CONTACT YOU

Building on the success of our past two Spring in Sydney events, and celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation (the NARA Treaty), AJS-NSW and co-host the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sydney (JCCI Sydney) invite you to join us for a cocktail reception dedicated to strengthening the vital business ties between Australia and Japan.

Join senior members of the Australian and Japanese business communities for an evening of networking and conversation on Sydney Harbour.

Set at Campbell’s Stores in The Rocks, with views across the harbour towards the Sydney Opera House, the reception will bring together business executives, government representatives, and industry leaders from Sydney's Australia-Japan community.

Enjoy

Three-hour premium food and beverage package
Premium Australian wines
Japanese and Australian beers
Substantial canapés and roaming cocktail-style service

Who Will Attend

Australia-Japan business leaders
Senior corporate and industry representatives
Government representatives
AJS-NSW and JCCI Sydney members
Sponsors, partners and community leaders

Hosted by AJS-NSW and JCCI Sydney, with support from the Japanese Society of Sydney Inc.

Venue capacity is almost reached, please join the waitlist and we will be in contact.

Space and Time: 50 Years of Australia-Japan Relations (AJS-NSW x Japan Foundation Collaboration Event) (16 Nov 2026)

Mon, 16 Nov 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Celebrating 50 Years of Connection and Innovation in the Space Industry

To mark the significant 50th anniversary of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Australia and Japan, the Australia-Japan Society of NSW (AJS-NSW) and The Japan Foundation, Sydney are proud to co-host this special event, bringing together leading voices from academia, industry and the broader space sector to explore the intersection of space exploration, technology and innovation through an Australia-Japan lens.

The evening will commence with a special presentation by Kate Kitagawa, internationally recognised space educator, author and strategic advisor, who will share her insights on the history, future and societal significance of space exploration.

Following her presentation, Kate will moderate a panel discussion featuring Melissa de Zwart, Akihiko Nishino and Tim Parsons.

Reflecting the spirit of the Friendship and Cooperation Treaty, the event will celebrate the achievements of the past 50 years while considering how the next generation can strengthen Australia-Japan cooperation through science, innovation and shared vision.

Together, they will explore the evolution of space research and technology, emerging opportunities and challenges in the rapidly expanding space sector, and the role Australia and Japan can play in shaping the future of international collaboration.

Speaker bios

Melissa de Zwart is the Deputy Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space and Professor, Space Law and Governance, Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources, at Adelaide University. Melissa is a prominent legal researcher, working in the areas of commercial and military uses of outer space, encompassing both domestic and international space law. She has worked closely with the Australian space industry, including previously serving as Deputy Director of the Space Industry Association of Australia, as well as on the successful bid team for the 2025 International Astronautical Congress. She has published widely on all legal and regulatory aspects of the space environment and contributed extensively to reviews and reforms of the regulatory framework.

Akihiko Nishino is a researcher and educator exploring how space technology and geospatial data can help address societal challenges. He is a Project Senior Assistant Professor at Keio University, Japan, and a Senior Researcher at the Space Service Innovation Laboratory (SSIL), a cooperative of space ventures. He holds a Ph.D. in Systems Engineering and is currently a Visiting Fellow at the University of New South Wales (UNSW).

His research focuses on using satellite technology and geospatial data for disaster response and urban heat risk. Beyond technology and data, he values learning directly from people and places through fieldwork and dialogue, with a focus on applying his research in the real world.

Akihiko also facilitates workshops on systems thinking and design thinking—frameworks for understanding societal challenges and developing solutions—for students, industry, and government professionals. Based in Sydney, he is active across the Asia-Pacific region through research, education, and international collaboration.

Tim Parsons leads partnerships for HEO’s Apophis flyby and GEO science missions.

A technologist and entrepreneurship educator with advanced degrees in aerospace engineering and computer science, Tim has been focused on helping to build the Australian space ecosystem and startup space companies since 2014.

Of particular note for this event, four members of Tim’s family all named Parsons have represented Japan as Consul to Adelaide between 1896 and 1982.

Moderator

Kate Kitagawa is a space educator and international strategist, currently Professor of Practice in Space Research and Education at La Trobe University. Before moving to Australia, she worked at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), where she served as Advisor to the Senior Vice President and Director of the Space Education Office.

Kate’s work is driven by a curiosity about space and what exploring it can teach us about ourselves and life on Earth. Her interests range from space missions and human life in space to the new ideas and connections that space exploration can inspire.

Above all, she is passionate about sharing the possibilities of space with people well beyond the space community.

Based in Melbourne, Kate is an internationally active speaker and author, and an occasional broadcaster, sharing her enthusiasm for time and space with audiences around the world.

Thanks to our corporate member The Japan Foundation, Sydney, for hosting us in their space.

Registrations are now open HERE so please register (and pay online or to our bank account).

AJS-NSW AGM 2026 (08 Dec 2026)

Tue, 08 Dec 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Annual General Meeting 2026

SAVE the DATE - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Annual General Meeting of Members of the Australia Japan Society of NSW Incorporated will be held on Tuesday 8 December 2026 at 6.00pm, at The Japan Foundation, Sydney.

More details will follow in due course, including the AGM papers.

We expect to have a guest speaker and networking refreshments to follow the meeting.