Presentation of Australia-Japan Foundation Achievement Awards 2006

The Australia-Japan Foundation presented the AJF Achievement Awards 2006 for outstanding contributions to people-to-people relationships between Australia and Japan on Wednesday 2 August at the Australian Embassy, Tokyo.

2006 is the Australia-Japan Year of Exchange, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the signing of the 1976 Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Australia and Japan. The recipients of the AJF Achievement Awards reflect the strong bonds of friendship that have developed between the two nations in the areas of business, cultural exchange, academic research and the arts.

The winners for 2006 are:

• Mr Yuichi Tomita, Chairman of the Osaka Japan Australia Society and Senior Advisor / former President of The Japan Wool Textile Co Ltd (Nikke), for his contribution over many years to the development of community-based and commercial networks between Australia and Japan
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• Mr Shigeki and Mrs Yoshimi Chiba, film director and film producer, for their long contribution to the creation of grass-roots exchanges in the area of film and to the promotion of peace and friendship between the two nations.
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• Sister M. Clement Baseden, former Australian Headmistress of Seiwa Girls High School in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, for her outstanding contribution to grass-roots exchanges between Australia and Japan in the Nagasaki region since the 1960s
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• The Centre for Australian Studies, Otemon Gakuin University, for its academic contribution to the promotion of mutual understanding between Australia and Japan over 39 years.
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• A Special Award was presented to the Japan Parliamentary Debate Union (JPDU) and Mr Ray D'Cruz, Board member of the Debaters Association of Victoria, in recognition of their efforts to develop a network to foster youth exchange through English language parliamentary debate in Australia and Japan.
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