Press Releases
Courtesy Call on Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs SHIMADA by Former Australian Prisoners of War-Related Delegation
On March 2, commencing at 10:55 a.m. for approximately 20 minutes, Mr. SHIMADA Tomoaki, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, received a courtesy call from three visitors to Japan under the Japan-Australia Grassroots Exchange Program: two descendants of former Australian prisoners of war (POW) and the State President of the Returned and Services League of Australia (RSL) Tasmania. The overview of the courtesy call is as follows:
- At the outset, Parliamentary Vice-Minister SHIMADA expressed that under the Japan-Australia Grassroots Exchange Program, numerous former Australian POWs as well as their second and third-generation descendants have visited Japan, contributing to the steady advancement of reconciliation and friendship between Japan and Australia. Parliamentary Vice-Minister SHIMADA also expressed his gratitude for the cooperation of the RSL in supporting this program.
- In response, the delegation expressed their appreciation for the invitation by the Japanese government and their gratitude for the opportunity to visit Japan, stating their intention to pass on their experiences to the next generation.
- Furthermore, Parliamentary Vice-Minister SHIMADA noted that this year marks the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Australia and Japan, that he would like to take this milestone opportunity to further promote the friendship between the two countries, including through people-to-people exchanges.
(Reference) Japan-Australia Grassroots Exchange Program
From fiscal year (FY) 1997 to 2005, under the first phase of this program, a total of 59 individuals related to veterans, including former prisoners of war (POWs), were invited. From FY 2010 to FY 2017, as the second phase, former POWs and their accompanying attendants were invited. Due to the declining number of Australian former POWs able to visit Japan, since FY 2018, invitations have been extended to second and third-generation descendants of former POWs. To date, a total of approximately 140 individuals have been invited in total.