The Consul-General of Japan in Sydney's Newsletter - Past Issues
No. 10 Darwin and Japan (Part 2): From the Bombing of Darwin to the Ichthys LNG Project - March 6, 2020
Japan and Australia are both facing the pressing issue of how to manage the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). However, at the same time, it is important to keep on dealing with matters we should address every day.
On 19 February, I attended the Bombing of Darwin Commemorative Service in Darwin representing Japan. I also took the opportunity to inspect the Ichthys LNG Project which has been operational for more than a year and is located in the suburbs of Darwin. In addition, I exchanged views with people living in Darwin who are engaged in various fields.
This visit to Darwin was my second since November last year. As I introduce new aspects of Japan’s relations with Darwin, the Northern Territory and Australia, let us reflect on the future of our bilateral ties.
A banner for the Bombing of Darwin Day
Around two months after the outbreak of the Pacific War, Darwin was bombed on 19 February 1942 by the Imperial Japanese Army. At the time, Darwin was a military centre for the Allied Forces and many ordinary civilians were evacuated. Before the war, Darwin’s population was approximately 6,000 people; after evacuations, there were only around 2,000 people.
Despite the evacuations, the bombing of Darwin killed around 200 military personnel and civilians, 9 vessels were sunk, and important facilities in the city were destroyed. It was the first large-scale attack on the Australian mainland and the bombing of Darwin has become a highly significant event historically, not only for the city but also for Australia. Since then, there were 64 aerial attacks in total in the Darwin area up until November 1943.
At the Darwin Military Museum with the Museum Director
I arrived in Darwin on 18 February, the day before the commemorative service, and went to study exhibitions related to the bombing of Darwin.
At Darwin Military Museum, I was kindly guided around by Museum Director Norm Cramp. In 2012, a new building was added to the museum to house the Defense of Darwin Experience exhibit, which uses film to reproduce what conditions would have been like during the actual bombing. In the original museum building, there are many exhibits showing items left behind by the Imperial Japanese Army that continue to this day to tell the story of the tough reality of war.
In addition to the museum, at the Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitor Centre, opened in 2016, many people can gain an insight into the situation during the bombing of Darwin; displays include a replica of a Zero fighter and a virtual-reality corner illustrating the bombing itself.
Laying wreaths at the Darwin War Memorial Cenotaph
In the morning of 19 February, on the 78th anniversary of the bombing of Darwin, I participated in three events: the USS Peary Memorial Service conducted by the Australian-American Association of the Northern Territory, the Bombing of Darwin Day Commemorative Service conducted by the City of Darwin and the Bombing of Darwin Commemorative Reception conducted by the Northern Territory Government. I represented the Government of Japan at each event and laid wreathes at the services.
At the Bombing of Darwin Day Commemorative Service, an alarm sounded at 9.58am, the time the bombing raid started, and the echoing sound of gunfire continued for some 10 minutes, conveying the horror of the bombing raid to those gathered.
After speeches by the Administrator and the Acting Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, floral tributes were laid by participants. Representatives from the US Embassy in Australia, the US Consulate-General in Melbourne and I walked in step to lay our individual wreaths at the cenotaph together, and I felt the kind consideration given by Australia to Japan-US-Australia reconciliation. In the same way, representatives of the Australian-American Association of the Northern Territory and the Australian-Japanese Association of the Northern Territory (AJANT) walked shoulder to shoulder to lay their wreaths.
I noticed that there were many children taking part in the service laying flowers, and I felt that in this way the people of Darwin are ensuring that the experiences of war will be passed down to younger generations.
At the Northern Territory Government Reception
Following the service, a reception was hosted by the Northern Territory Government in the Main Hall of Parliament House. In her speech on behalf of the Northern Territory Government, The Hon. Nicole Manison, Deputy Chief Minister and Treasurer, mentioned that Japan, which once bombed Darwin, now has made its largest ever foreign investment anywhere in the world in Darwin, stressing how much times have changed.
Ichthys LNG Project site visit
The next day (20 Feb), I went on a site visit to the Ichthys LNG Project. The Ichthys LNG Project, led by INPEX, is the first to have a Japanese company as the operator, and it was realized thanks to an enormous $US40 billion investment and with technologies from numerous Japanese companies.
Located 45 minutes by car from the Darwin CBD, LNG (liquefied natural gas) is being produced and stored, and to enter the site there are strict safety regulations to prevent accidents -- appropriate work gear must be worn, electronic equipment handed over and so on. Once you enter the site, there are large scale structures such as LNG tanks and power generation facilities spread out over a vast area. All of this is managed from the control centre.
Since commencing operations in October 2018, the project has progressed smoothly and it now provides employment for some 600 people. I felt that it is the mutual trust between Australia and Japan that enables this large-scale project to operate stably over the long-term.
Meeting with the Northern Territory Department of Trade, Business and Innovation
The task going forward is to strengthen future Japan-NT economic ties beyond the operations of the Ichthys LNG Project. In the afternoon of 20 February, I exchanged opinions with representatives of the Northern Territory Departments of Trade, Business and Innovation, of Primary Industry and Resources, and of Tourism, Sports and Culture.
Today in the Northern Territory, Japanese businesses are involved in a range of ventures, including prawn farming, shale gas and rare metal exploration, and experimental agriculture demonstration utilizing renewable energy. In addition, Uluru is very popular among Japanese tourists who account for the largest source of overseas tourists in the Northern Territory. From here on, while gathering information about the conditions and issues facing both Japanese businesses and the Northern Territory Government, I intend to support the further development of Japan-NT business and tourism.
A Japanese-language class at Darwin High School
Turning to Japanese language, the number of Japanese-language learners in the Northern Territory is proportionally well above the average in Australia. In the morning of Friday 21 February, I visited Darwin High School to observe a Japanese language class in action. I recognized that, probably because Darwin is geographically so close to Asia, the students are keen to study foreign languages. I was told that Japanese culture, particularly anime, draws many to choose Japanese language. We also discussed how the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics can provide an opportunity to deepen exchange between schools in Japan and Australia.
Meeting with members of AJANT
The Australian-Japanese Association of the NT (AJANT) is an organisation which plays an important role in exchange and reconciliation between Japan and Australia such as the examples given above. This visit I was able to meet and exchange views with both Japanese and Australian committee members together for the first time. The Australian committee members have all spent several years in Japan and we conversed in fluent Japanese.
The committee members are volunteers, and they plan and carry out AJANT activities such as the Japanese festival and film festival in between work. I was greatly impressed by their obvious enthusiasm and strong team-spirit.
Going forward, Japan will not only contribute through business. During my time in Darwin, I realized the importance of deepening exchange and mutual understanding across diverse fields, not least through Japanese culture and language. I plan to visit Darwin regularly in the future and will work to promote cooperative ties between Japan and the Northern Territory.
Bombing of Darwin Day Commemoration
https://www.darwin.nt.gov.au/explore/whats-on/community-celebrations/bombing-of-darwin-day-commemoration
https://www.darwin.nt.gov.au/council/news-media/news/bombing-of-darwin-day-2020
Darwin Military Museum / Defense of Darwin Experience
https://www.darwinmilitarymuseum.com.au/
https://defenceofdarwin.nt.gov.au/
Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Darwin Tourist Facility
https://www.rfdsdarwin.com.au/
Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
https://parliament.nt.gov.au/
Ichthys LNG Project
https://www.inpex.com.au/projects/ichthys-lng/
Invest in the Northern Territory
https://theterritory.com.au/invest
Australian Japanese Association of the Northern Territory (AJANT)
https://www.ajant.org/