Visit marks 130 years of Australia-Japan relationship

Townsville Mayor Nick Dametto has met with Consul-General of Japan Ishikawa Katsutoshi to mark 130 years since Australia’s first Japanese diplomatic office was established in Townsville in 1886.

North Queensland has welcomed many Japanese migrants since the 19^th century, and Townsville is proudly the site of the first Japanese Consulate in Australia.

Mayor Nick Dametto said it was a pleasure to mark this milestone with a visit from Mr Ishikawa.

“Our diplomatic relations with Japan stretch back to the 1800s. The first Japanese Consulate was a building called Kardinia on Victoria Street, and it remained at that site from 1896 to 1908 before the consulate moved to Sydney. The home is still at North Ward and is a very special heritage listed building for Townsville,” Cr Dametto said.

“Townsville and Japan have continued their strong ties during the past 130 years, including through signing sister cities agreements with Shunan in 1990 and Iwaki in 1991, allowing us to work closely to share ideas and develop mutually-beneficial trade and investment between our regions.

“In 2026 we’re furthering our relationship between North Queensland and Japan through economic partnership and collaborating in areas like renewable energy and hydrogen production.

“It’s been a pleasure to be able to meet with Mr Ishikawa and discuss the continued bilateral support between Townsville and Japan on this special anniversary. I look forward to seeing the ways in which we can collaborate well into the future.”

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