Message from the Consul-General

December 2024

My name is ISHIKAWA Katsutoshi, and I commenced my position as Consul-General of Japan in Brisbane on December 3, 2024. I look forward to working with the people of Queensland in my role here.

The robust relationship between Japan and Australia, as well as Japan and Queensland, has developed thanks to the hard work and long-term efforts of residents and the many individuals, businesses, and organisations engaged in the relationship. I would like to convey my deepest respect and appreciation to all those involved.

I learned that I would be posted to Brisbane in late October 2024, around the same time that the Queensland elections were held. A new Government was formed under the leadership of Premier David Crisafulli, as the ruling party changed hands for the first time in 9 years. I feel honoured to have the opportunity to further develop Queensland Japan relations at such a critical juncture.

For Japanese people, Queensland is famous for World Heritage sites such as the Great Barrier Reef, and beach resorts in Cairns and the Gold Coast. This was also the impression I myself had. I grew up by the beaches of the Enshu Sea in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, which looks out over the Pacific Ocean. During my primary and junior high school days, I would imagine Australia (and Queensland) far away across the ocean, and dreamed that I would one day have the chance to visit.

Since my appointment, I’ve also learned that Queensland is deeply significant not only as a tourist destination, but also for its historical connections with Japan. From the 19th Century onwards, many Japanese people migrated to Northern Queensland, and this became the site of the first Japanese Consulate in Australia. Additionally, Queensland is an important economic partner and reliable supplier of energy and food exports such as coal, beef, and sugar. In recent years, Japan and Queensland have also started collaborating in new sectors such as renewable energy and hydrogen production, which I hope will lead to a further deepening of ties.

As I’m sure many of you reading will be aware, Japan-Australia relations have, in recent years, strengthened not only bilaterally, but also multilaterally through the QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue), a framework built around the four nations of Australia, Japan, the United States, and India, and their shared fundamental values such as freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. Queensland in particular is also an important security hub. Exercise Talisman Sabre, a large-scale combined Australian and United States military training activity conducted once every two years, is one of the largest of its kind in Australia, and our own Japanese Self Defence Force has also participated since 2015. 

In 2025 Osaka will host Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, and the Queensland Government will be participating as a Gold Partner of the Australia Pavilion. In addition, the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held in Brisbane, and I anticipate that opportunities for sporting exchange with Japan will continue to grow.

Thus, I believe there is great potential for future developments in our relationship, including cultural and people-to-people ties. I will strive to further develop the already ideal relationship between Japan and Queensland, and hope that it can serve as a model for similar ties.

Finally, I would like to emphasise that the highest priority of the Consulate-General is ensuring the safety and security of the roughly 30,000 Japanese living here in Queensland, as well as those travelling for holidays, study, and business.

The Consulate strives to consistently improve our consular services for your safety, security, and convenience, so please do not hesitate to contact us at any time should you have any questions, concerns or honest feedback, or if we can be of any assistance.