In March 1961, Mr Shigeo Nagano, a Vice Chairman of the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce & Industry and President of Fuji Steel led a Trade Mission to Australia. When meeting with Australian industry associations in Canberra, Mr Nagano proposed the establishment of a bilateral business co-operation committee to:
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- contribute to the development of the Japan-Australia economic relationship
- promote mutual understanding and cooperation between the two countries’ business communities
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The Australia Japan Business Co-operation Committee (AJBCC) was established in Australia on 28 August 1962 and its counterpart, the Japan Australia Business Co-operation Committee (JABCC) was inaugurated on 6 February 1963. Since their establishment, the two committees have met annually (apart from one year during the Covid-19 pandemic), alternately in Australia and Japan. It is possibly one of the longest established joint bilateral business committees, a fact owed to its leadership in both countries and underscores the importance of the business relationship between them.
50th Anniversary Conference in 2012
For our 50th Anniversary in 2012, former Executive Director of the AJBCC Paul Gallagher compiled a history of the AJBCC. The 84 page book is available to download.
60th Anniversary Conference in 2023
We have put together an exciting collaborative history project. Read members’ own stories about their contributions to the Australia-Japan relationship over the years.