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Australia-Japan Society of NSW


Tomodachi Newsletter

  June 2020 Newsletter

Tomodachi


Message from the Board

Greetings to all our members as NSW cautiously emerges from the COVID-19 health lockdown. Again we are pleased to send you this newsletter to keep in touch. We do have some important information about membership renewals and other news that may be of interest. See below.

While we still have not scheduled any events in our usual format, we are looking forward to meeting you again - when the time is right! Hopefully that will be sooner rather than later.

Events in the pipeline include:

  • Student Awards celebration
  • Event to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Australia Japan Working Holiday Visa Program with John Menadue and the first Australian recipient, and
  • Former Ambassador John Langtry speaking on "The Australia Japan relationship - A Perspective from North East Asia"
  • Ever popular Shaberanaito (Japanese-speaking night)

In the meantime, best wishes and take care.

Membership

This is the time of the year when we usually send out AJS-NSW membership renewals. This year however, the Board has decided to defer sending membership renewals for 2020/21 until October 2020. The Board has also decided to leave fees unchanged from last year and that consideration will be made for members impacted by the pandemic. While AJS-NSW currently enjoys a healthy financial position, our primary source of funds is from annual memberships. We look forward to your ongoing support.

Not a member but would like to join? Download and fill in the form. Your membership will be valid until July 1st 2021.

Cowra Japanese Garden Appeal

As flagged in the May newsletter, the Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre was closed due to the pandemic and lost its only source of funding, from visitors. It launched an appeal via GoFundMe (still open here).

The Board of AJS-NSW supported the appeal by a donation of $1000.

With intrastate travel restrictions loosened, the Garden recently reopened on a limited schedule (9-2 Mon to Thurs, 9-5 Fri-Sun). The Garden managers and the Cowra community have thanked AJS for the donation and say that they look forward to welcoming members back to the Garden, hopefully with the Sakura Matsuri on the 26th September.

Commentary on Australia vs Japan's COVID response

AJS-NSW member Professor Luke Nottage (University of Sydney Law School) has contributed his thoughts in two articles:

https://japaneselaw.sydney.edu.au/2020/05/comparing-australias-response-to-covid-19-against-whom-what-why-and-how-submission-to-a-senate-inquiry/

Incorporating an earlier article:

https://sbi.sydney.edu.au/covid-19-in-asia-and-beyond-we-are-story-characters-living-in-a-new-story-world/

National Library of Australia cuts to Japanese collection

We have recently been made aware of the National Library's changed Japanese materials collection strategy and related closure of the Asian Collections Reading Room (at NLA Canberra). This will impact the ability of Japan scholars to conduct research in Australia.

The information is well summarized on the Japan Foundation website. Further information has been provided by Ms. Shinozaki, a former Japanese Unit Senior Librarian, here. There is also a petition at the link here.

Exploring Japan & Japanese culture

(Selected repeat information)

Suggestions from our Board members on how to get your Japan culture fix.

Watch Asian Three-Fold Mirror 2016: Reflections Film for Free

Asian Three-Fold Mirror 2016: Reflections, a film co-created by three acclaimed directors from Asia, is still streaming for free until June 30.

Co-produced by The Japan Foundation Asia Centre and Tokyo International Film Festival, Asian Three-Fold Mirror 2016: Reflections centres around the theme "Living Together in Asia.” Crew and cast joined forces across national borders to reflect on the lives of characters who journey between Japan and Cambodia, the Philippines and Malaysia.

[link: https://jfac.jp/en/culture/news/n-asian-three-fold-mirror-streaming/]

JF Japanese E-Learning Minato

Learn Japanese anytime, anywhere with a number of free online courses from Japan by The Japan Foundation. 

[link: https://minato-jf.jp/]

Learn Japanese While Watching Netflix  

Learn Japanese through your favourite shows with a free Google Chrome extension. You can add subtitles with furigana or romaji, click on any word to get the definition and pronunciation, and add an English translation.  

[link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/language-learning-with-ne/hoombieeljmmljlkjmnheibnpciblicm]

Stay Home Feel Kyoto

This month Kyoto chefs teach you some Kyoto inspired dishes. Matcha souffle pancakes, anyone?

[link: https://kyoto.travel/en/blog/2020/stay-home-feel-kyoto.html]

COVID-19 Information in Japanese

COVID Safe
豪政府のコロナウィルス感染追跡アプリ コヴィッドセイフについての説明

Youtube video on how to download and use the app, with subtitles including in Japanese.

日本語の字幕付きヴィデオです。参考にしてください
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94kjC8axa2A&list=PLKFDUMupjXqgopZH65BRA6IP7_aWfawM0&index=10&t=0s 

Latest Japanese language news from SBS about COVID

https://www.sbs.com.au/language/japanese/coronavirus-updates?mc_cid=7952d780c1&mc_eid=017fdf5047

If members have any information to share with us and fellow members, please get in touch: info@ajsnsw.org.au

[linkhttps://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/language-learning-with-ne/hoombieeljmmljlkjmnheibnpciblicm

[link:ebinar] Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) and Meat & Livestock Australia: Japan Market update]

 Japan Local Government Centre CLAIR Sydney Newsletter

 

[link: http://www.jlgc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Newsletter-No.146.pdf]


Asian Three-Fold Mirror 2016: Reflections, a film co-created by three acclaimed directors from Asia, is streaming for free worldwide until June 30.

Co-produced by The Japan Foundation Asia Centre and Tokyo International Film Festival, Asian Three-Fold Mirror 2016: Reflections centres around the theme "Living Together in Asia.” Crew and cast joined forces across national borders to reflect on the lives of characters who journey between Japan and Cambodia, the Philippines and Malaysia.

[link: https://jfac.jp/en/culture/news/n-asian-three-fold-mirror-streaming/]


The Japanese Film Festival has teamed up with MOOIC LAB for JFF Online, a free online streaming service available worldwide. Explore the lineup of 12 indie films available to watch now, including Japanese Film Festival Australia titles from 2019, Rent a Friend and Moonless Dawn.

[link: https://www.japanesefilmfest.org/streaming]


Calling all NSW residents interested in getting a taste of Japanese language. Applications are now open for the May-July Taster course! You'll learn basic conversational Japanese skills in a fun, interactive online classroom.  

[link: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/jpf-sydney-online-japanese-taster-course-registration-94090977647 ]


Learn Japanese through your favourite shows with a free Google Chrome extension. You can add subtitles with furigana or romaji, click on any word to get the definition and pronunciation, and add an English translation.  

]



Aspiring translators of contemporary Japanese literature are welcome to apply. Translation from Japanese to English or German of two texts. Submission by end July.

[link: https://www.jlpp.go.jp/en/competition5/competition5en.html]



About the Society

The Australia-Japan Society of NSW Incorporated (AJS-NSW) aims to bring together Australian and Japanese people living in NSW to explore mutual interests.

AJS-NSW holds regular business, social and cultural functions, at various locations around Sydney.

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Telephone

02-8078-4110

Email

info@ajsnsw.org.au


Address:

PO Box R937, Royal Exchange NSW 1225

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