John Howard Prime Minister of Australia John Howard Prime Minister of Australia I am delighted to have the opportunity to extend my warmest wishes to all the staff, management and readers of Nichigo Press and to congratulate you on the inaugural edition of jstyle magazine. Nichigo Press has made a significant contribution to the Japanese-Australian community since 1977, providing news and editorial coverage on a broad range of Australian and Japanese issues. Nichigo Press also plays a particularly valuable role in improving the cultural relationship between Japan and Australia by promoting greater understanding and awareness in both countries. As Australia's oldest and most highly respected Japanese language newspaper, Nichigo Press will continue to promote awareness and interest in Japan-Australia relations through a variety of interesting articles. This will no doubt further strengthen the already strong links between our two countries. With its focus on cultural and business-oriented developments in both our countries, jstyle looks to open further doors for young business professionals hoping to expand their knowledge in these areas. As jstyle is published in English, even non-Japanese speakers will find this magazine accessible and informative. The spirit of cooperation that has characterised the 2006 Japan-Australia Year of Exchange is well illustrated by Nichigo Press and I congratulate you on the inaugural issue of jstyle. Hideaki Ueda Ambassador of Japan Hideaki Ueda Ambassador of Japan to Australia I wish to congratulate Nichigo Press on the inaugural publication of its first English-language magazine jstyle. Established in 1977, Nichigo Press is the longest running Japanese-language newspaper firm in Australia and it has made valuable contributions to the development of Australia-Japan relations by providing its Japanese readers with news and information about Australia. I am delighted that Nichigo Press will now offer an English-language publication, thereby broadening its readership and in turn, contributing further to ties between Australia and Japan. It is very fitting that Nichigo Press has chosen to launch jstyle in this year, the Australia-Japan Year of Exchange. Throughout the year many events have been held all over Australia to help people better understand Japan and its culture. I hope many readers have had a chance to attend some of the events and in so doing have gained an enhanced understanding of Japan and its strong ties with Australia. Australia and Japan enjoy very strong bilateral relations. Prime Minister Howard has stated that "Australia has no greater friend in Asia than Japan". This close relationship is built upon solid economic and political ties and is further underpinned by people-to-people exchange at a grass-roots level. Publications such as jstyle have an important role to play in promoting such people-to-people ties, in bringing Australians and Japanese even closer and helping us better understand one another. I wish Nichigo Press every success in this exciting new venture. Morris Iemma Premier of New South Wales Morris Iemma Premier, Minister for State Development and Minister for Citizenship Congratulations to jstyle on your inaugural issue! With 2006 being the Australia-Japanese Year of Exchange, I could not think of a better time to launch a publication dedicated to all things Japanese. From bullet trains, to soba noodles, J-pop to the latest fashion, Japan exerts a special magnetism over anyone who visits her shores. But exchanges are taking place every day. While thousands of Australians thrive in Japanese workplaces and homes, thousands of Japanese have made their own mark on the Australian landscape. This year, we celebrate these exchanges and the trade, diplomatic and cultural links that continue to thrive between NSW and Japan. Which is why jstyle is so important in exploring Japanese life, business and culture. This publication will go a long way towards providing an entry point to all things Japanese. My congratulations go to Nichigo Press - publishers of Australia's oldest Japanese-language newspaper - on your new publication. I hope, as the name suggests, that this publication serves as a useful reference guide to Japanese style. Reflecting on the Australia-Japan Year of Exchange & Events 2006 (PDF)104K