On 21 Apr, Mr FUKUSHIMA Akihiko, Senior Executive Director; and Ms ARAKI Kyoko, Chief of the Planning and Exchange Section; from the Fukuoka International Exchange Foundation visited the CLAIR Sydney office. It was the first time in two years that CLAIR Sydney welcomed guests from Japan to our office since the Australian Government imposed restrictions on overseas visitors’ entry into Australia in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in March 2020. The Fukuoka International Exchange Foundation is planning a new project to foster globally-minded leaders in Fukuoka. Under this project, the Foundation will send university students from Fukuoka to Sydney to gain insight into overseas organisations through visiting the overseas branches and offices of Japanese businesses and government organisations in Sydney. For the Fukuoka International Exchange Foundation’s representatives’ visit to Sydney, CLAIR Sydney assisted with scheduling meetings with Japanese businesses and government organisations in Sydney and accompanied the representatives to the meetings. At the CLAIR Sydney office, the representatives and CLAIR Sydney staff discussed the current situation in Australia and recent study abroad trends. As the Australian Government has significantly relaxed its border restrictions, the number of visitors from Japanese local government organisations is expected to increase gradually. CLAIR Sydney will continue to support Japanese local government organisations’ international activities in Australia and New Zealand.
From the 3rd to the 13th of December, eight selected swimmers from the Fukuoka Swimming Association visited NSW, where they participated in joint training sessions with a local school and competed in the 2024-25 Speedo NSW Senior State Age Championships.
