Event Approvals, Grants On Offer For 50th Anniversary Of Japan-Australia Friendship Treaty

27 December 2025

Japan and Australia are offering grants and approval for certain events to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Signing of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation between Japan and Australia in 2026.

The governments of both countries and the Australia-Japan Foundation are taking all sorts of steps for broad exchange between Japan and Australia, with the active participation of local governments, businesses, private organizations, and others.

The countries will recognize events as 50th anniversary events if they meet all of the following criteria:

They must take place in Japan or Australia during the period from Jan. 1, 2026, to Dec. 31, 2026.
They must contribute to promoting exchanges, enhancing mutual understanding, and strengthening friendly relations between Japan and Australia across various fields, including economics, society, arts, academia, sports, and tourism.
They must not be primarily for profit-making.
They must have clear objectives and content and demonstrate a high likelihood of realization.
They must not be intended to promote specific ideologies, beliefs, or religions, and must not violate public order or morals.

Approved events may identify themselves as Anniversary Events for the 50th Anniversary of the Signing of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation between Japan and Australia. They may also use the 50th Anniversary logo on promotional materials (posters, pamphlets, websites, signage, banners, etc.). Additionally, approved events will be listed on the websites of the Embassy and Consulates-General of Japan in Australia and the Embassy of Australia in Japan.

More details, application procedures and guidelines can be found at Application Guidelines for Anniversary Events: 50th Anniversary of the Signing of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation between Japan and Australia | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

In conjunction, the Australia-Japan Foundation, which is also marking a half-century of existence, is offering AFJ 50th Anniversary Grants.

The foundation will provide grants up to a maximum of 200,000 dollars for one year for those it deems eligible. Eligible activities are as follows, but there are also numerous requirements to be eligible for a payment:

Eligible activities must directly relate to the project and may include:

A bilateral forum, dialogue or exchange focused on shaping the future of the Australia–Japan relationship in areas of shared national interest, with an emphasis on emerging leaders and next-generation partnerships (e.g. youth leadership forum or policy dialogue bringing together subject matter experts and other stakeholders in the Australia-Japan relationship).
A significant 50th anniversary commemorative event or activity that brings together Australia-Japan stakeholders to celebrate past collaborations and foster new opportunities for future engagement (e.g. a large networking event or series of events bringing together Australia-Japan stakeholders, a photographic exhibition, commemorative documentary or a digital communications package showcasing the past 50 years of the AJF and friendship and cooperation between Australia and Japan).
Other activities determined as eligible by the Program Delegate.