Maps and Exploration

Australia–Japan relations

Australia–Japan relations are the bilateral relations between the Commonwealth of Australia and Japan. Geographically, the two countries are situated in the Asia-Pacific region, with neither country sharing land borders with any other nation. The relationship is generally warm and has continued to grow and strengthen over the years, particularly in relation to defence and security. Both nations are parliamentary constitutional monarchies with close ties to the Western world. Additionally, Australia and Japan are both close allies of the United States, and play an important role in the regional security architecture, as well as the rules-based international order. Both countries are heavily dependent on international trade, with Japan relying on imports of Australian agricultural and energy products, and Australia importing significant quantities of Japanese end-products and consumer goods. Australian troops constituted the majority of Commonwealth Forces which occupied large parts of Japan following the Second World War. In turn, Australia has an extensive history of Japanese influence, with successive waves of immigrants contributing to the social and cultural fabric of modern Australia. Consequently, Australia and Japan have developed a substantial bilateral relationship anchored by mutual interests and reinforced by strong historical, cultural, and people-to-people ties. Today, Japan is Australia's “second largest trading partner and an increasingly important source of capital investment". The relationship continues to expand beyond economic and commercial ties to other spheres, including cultural exchanges, tourism, defence and scientific cooperation. At the beginning of the 20th century, Japan and Australia enjoyed cordial relations, and fought on the same side in the First World War. Early points of contention centred on discrimination against Japanese migrants vis-à-vis the White Australia policy. Japanese expansionism and colonial ambitions further strained relations, with many Australians fearing the possibility of a Japanese invasion. Diplomatic relations were disrupted and considerably damaged by the Second World War; in particular, Japanese air raids on Australia and Japan’s treatment of Australian and allied prisoners of war.

Also on this shelf

See also

• ▸Archibald McMurdo
• ▸Guglielmo Castelli
• ▸Clarion–Clipperton zone

Uncatalogued shelf

Text from Wikipedia; plate via Wikimedia Commons. Text CC BY-SA 4.0; plate freely licensed (see Commons). Source record. Images and catalogue data are reproduced from open-access collections.