Австралия мен Жапония: Стратегиялық серіктестік және даму тарихы

Bilateral relations exist between Australia and Japan. The relationships are generally warm and have since continued to grow strong over the years, both nations being considerably close, substantial and driven by mutual interests, with both nations having close ties with the Western world. Japan is one of Australia's major economic partners: it is Australia's “second largest trading partner and an increasingly important source of capital investment". In recent times, the relations have expanded beyond strong economic and commercial links to other spheres, including culture, tourism, defense and scientific cooperation. Tensions were high in the early stage of the relationship, such as World War II, and Japan's perceived economic domination during the 1980s and early 1990s. However, the Australian government and business leaders see Japan as a vital export market and an essential element in Australia's future growth and prosperity in the Asia Pacific region. Japan, for its part, regards Australia as an important partner, a reliable source of energy, minerals and other primary products, a popular tourist destination, a useful conduit to the West and the only other middle ranking economic power in the Asia Pacific. Australia's former Prime Minister Tony Abbott in 2018 hailed Japan as Australia's closest friend in Asia and proceeded on creating a Free Trade Agreement between the two nations in the coming year. Australia and Japan both acknowledge each other as key strategic partners within the Asia Pacific, with both being prosperous liberal democracies and key allies of the United States. Former Defence Minister Marise Payne described Japan as a "key partner" in the region; for his part, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida described the relationship as the linchpin of security in the Indo Pacific. Australia maintains an embassy in Tokyo, a consulate general in Osaka, and a consulate in Sapporo. Japan also maintains an embassy in Canberra, consulates general in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth, along with a consulate in Cairns.

The first recorded import of Australian coal by Japan occurred in 1865, and the first recorded Japanese imports of Australian wool occurred in 1888. The first Japanese person known to have settled in Australia was a merchant who migrated to Queensland in 1871. By the start of the Australian Federation in 1901, it was estimated that Australia had 4000 Japanese immigrants, mostly based around Townsville where the Japanese government had established its first consulate in 1896. The immigrants worked mostly in the sugar cane and maritime industries including turtle, trochus, trepang and pearl harvesting. Further Japanese migration to Australia was effectively terminated with the Australian Immigration Restriction Act of 1901, with the imposition of a "dictation test" in a European language on prospective immigrants, and with the White Australia policy. Due to this the Townsville consulate closed in 1908. In 1930–31, Japan was "Australia's third most important trading partner". Australian forces played an active combat role in battles throughout the Southeast Asia and South West Pacific theater of World War II, most notable events of the war among both parties were the Kokoda Track campaign and the Sandakan Death Marches (of which in 2014, the then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe offered his sincere condolences on behalf of the Japanese people to the Australian Parliament). Australian forces also played a significant role in the post war Occupation of Japan.

The first time a large number of Australians were in Japan was during the postwar Occupation of Japan. Australians were part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. Around 16,000 Australians served in the force. For the entire length of its history the BCOF had an Australian officer. The Australian contribution to the force was 4,700 infantry, 5,300 base personnel, 2,200 from the Royal Australian Air Force, and 130 from the Australian General Hospital. The Royal Australian Navy was also present as part of the British Pacific Fleet. For two thirds of the period of occupation the Commonwealth was represented solely by Australians. Australia played a minor role in the Japan campaign in the last months of the war and was preparing to participate in the invasion of Japan at the time the war ended. Several Australian warships operated with the British Pacific Fleet (BPF) during the Battle of Okinawa and Australian destroyers later escorted British aircraft carriers and battleships during attacks on targets in the Japanese home islands. Despite its distance from Japan, Australia was the BPF's main base and a large number of facilities were built to support the fleet. Australia's participation in the planned invasion of Japan would have involved elements of all three services fighting as part of Commonwealth forces. It was planned to form a new 10th Division from existing AIF personnel which would form part of the Commonwealth Corps with British, Canadian and New Zealand units. The corps' organisation was to be identical to that of a US Army corps, and it would have participated in the invasion of the Japanese home island of Honshū which was scheduled for March 1946. Australian ships would have operated with the BPF and US Pacific Fleet and two RAAF heavy bomber squadrons and a transport squadron were scheduled to be redeployed from Britain to Okinawa to join the strategic bombardment of Japan as part of Tiger Force. General Blamey signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender on behalf of Australia during the ceremony held on board Missouri on 2 September 1945. Several RAN warships were among the Allied ships anchored in Tokyo Bay during the proceedings. Following the main ceremony on board Missouri, Japanese field commanders surrendered to Allied forces across the Pacific Theatre. Australian forces accepted the surrender of their Japanese opponents at ceremonies conducted at Morotai, several locations in Borneo, Timor, Wewak, Rabaul, Bougainville and Nauru.

Australian trade had shifted away from other Commonwealth countries toward Asia around the 1960s and 1970s. Japan in particular had emerged as the leading trading partner. In 1966–67, Japan surpassed the United Kingdom "to become the largest market for Australian exports". Negotiations commenced in 2007 on a bilateral free trade agreement between Australia and Japan. According to Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there were approximately 9,900, Australian citizens resident in Japan as of 30 June 2017.

In 2018, Japan was the fifth largest source of tourism for Australia, with 484,000 Japanese citizens visiting Australia that year. It placed behind the United Kingdom, the United States, New Zealand and China. Visitors from Japan to Australia peaked at 814,000 in 1997. According to data from Google, Japan was Australia's top searched destination between 2002 and 2022, ranking ahead of New Zealand. In 2023, Japan became the fourth most visited overseas destination for Australians behind New Zealand, Indonesia and India.

Qantas, Jetstar, Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways and Virgin Australia all offer direct flights between Australia and Japan.

Both nations are members of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership, G 20 major economies, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, and among others. Australia and Japan were also part of Trans Pacific Partnership, for the boost of Indo Pacific cooperation.

In 1980, Australia and Japan agreed on a working holiday scheme for young people from both countries. The working holiday program was the first one for Japan.