As Australia and Japan mark fifty years of friendship, this panel brings together states-people, educators and researchers to ask a pointed question:

What does ensuring another fifty years of friendship within the broader Indo-Pacific framework actually require of us?

The discussion will cover the following themes:

Building Asia capacity in the Indo-Pacific: Examining the current policy momentum around national ‘Asia capability’ and recommendations from the ‘Choose Asia’ agenda.
Relationships over transactional knowledge: A case for a relational and pragmatic focus in language, intercultural education, and politics.
Making space for real friendships in a harder climate: Australia-Japan Special Strategic Partnership necessitates intense and multilayered people-to-people exchanges on global and regional agendas.

The event will be followed by light refreshments supported by the Macquarie Japanese Studies (MJS) Centre.

Registrations will close 8th October at 12:00pm.

Contact the host of Choosing Asia, Choosing Each Other: Australia–Japan Panel Discussion