In the previous series of articles that looked at the level of China literacy that exist among the members of the general Australian populace, and in particular the level of China literacy that exist among students who are undertaking study at educational institutions that are located across all three levels of the Australian education system (whether the educational institution in question is located at the primary, secondary, or tertiary level of the Australian education system, and this had especially been the case when it comes to the level of China literacy that exist among students who are undertaking study at educational institutions that are located at the tertiary level of the Australian education system), I discussed the history of the various relationships that had existed between (what is now) the Commonwealth of Australia and (what is now) the People’s Republic of China (with a particular focus being paid to the diplomatic, economic, business-to-business, as well as the people-to-people relationships between Australia and the People’s Republic of China) has, throughout the post-British settlement history of Australia (which begun on 26 January 1788) had often been fraught with tension, although the same argument could be made that the history of the various relationships that had existed between Australia and Japan, and this had particularly been the case when it comes to the people-to-people relationships that existed between the two nation-states. And much like how the Immigration Restriction Act of 1901 (which was the first piece of legislation that was passed by the newly created Australian Federal Parliament in 1901), the “White Australia Policy” (as the Immigration Restriction Act of 1901 was also known as) had negative ramifications for the various relationships that existed between Australia and the then Chinese Empire (and in particular the people-to-people relationships that existed between Australia and the then Chinese Empire), the “White Australia Policy” would also have negative ramifications for the various relationships that existed between Australia and Japan (including restrictions that was imposed on immigration to Australia from Japan). However, and this will be discussed in much detail in this second article in this series of articles on Japan literacy in Australia and the level of Japan literacy that exist among the general Australian populace, and in particular the level of Japan literacy that exist among students who are undertaking study at educational institutions that are located across all three levels of the Australian education system (and this had especially been the case when it comes to the level of Japan literacy that exist among students who are undertaking study at educational institutions that are located at the tertiary level of the Australian education system), while the “White Australia Policy” did place heavy restrictions of the level of immigration to Australia from Japan, these restrictions did not dampen the people-to-people connections between Australia and Japan.

When it came to the various relationships that existed between Australia and Japan (whether the relationship in question was diplomatic, economic, business-to-business, or people-to-people in nature), one key event that has had negative ramifications for the various relationships that had existed between Australia and Japan had been the Second World War and a fear among the general Australian populace at the time of a possible Japanese invasion of Australia, a fear that came true in 1942 when the Japanese Imperial Army bombed Darwin. However, and this will be discussed in more detail later on in this second article in this series of article on Japan literacy that exist among the general Australian populace, when it comes to the various relationships that existed between Australia and Japan in the 1930s and into the 1940s, and this had particularly been the case in regards to the people-to-people relationships that existed between the people of Australia and the people of Japan (which, due to the “White Australia Policy” being in effect at the time, placed heavy restrictions on people-to-people relationships between the people of Australia and the people of Japan at the time), the expansion of the Japanese Empire into mainland Asia in the years leading up to the beginning of the Second World War, combined with a general fear among the general Australian populace at the time of a potential invasion of Australia by the Japanese Empire saw an increase in the level of hostility that the general Australian populace has towards Japan and the Japanese people. But at the same time, an argument could be made that the hostility that was shown towards Japan and the Japanese people by members of the general Australian populace at the time was to be the latest chapter in the history of hostility that members of the general Australian populace (who, at the time, considered themselves to be British subjects, as the concept of Australian citizenship would not be a thing until 1949, and even then, Australia would remain constitutionally tethered to the United Kingdom until 1986 with the passage of the Australia Act) had towards Asia.

As had been discussed in the previous series of articles that looked at China literacy in Australia and the level of China literacy that exist among the general Australian populace, and in particular the level of China literacy that exist among students who are undertaking study at educational institutions that are located across all three levels of the Australian education system, ever since the beginning of British colonisation of Australia on 26 January 1788, there had been a high level of fear among the British in the then Colony of New South Wales of the region that they (and their descendants) would call home, a fear that would become more pronounce during the Gold Rushes of the 1850s and the arrival of the Chinese diggers on the goldfields of the then Colonies of New South Wales and Victoria (the latter having just become a separate British colony, having previously been a part of the former), with the arrival of the Chinese diggers resulting in open hostility towards the Chinese by the British, which resulted n the Victorian colonial government passing laws that placed strong restrictions in regards to the entry of the Chinese into the Colony of Victoria, including an entry tax of £10 for any Chinese person who entered the Colony of Victoria through any Victorian port. When it came to the various relationships that had existed between (what is now) the Commonwealth of Australia and Asia (which, at the time, was largely under European colonial control), at the time, the restrictions that that Victorian colonial government at the time placed on those who were attempting to enter the Colony of Victoria from China, combined with the later implementation of the “White Australia Policy” in 1901 by the newly established Australian Federal Parliament, saw (what is now) the Commonwealth of Australia close itself from its own region.

In this second article in this series of articles that will be looking at Japan literacy in Australia and the level of Japan literacy that exist among the general Australian populace, and in particular the level of Japan literacy that exist among students who are undertaking study at educational institutions that are located across all three levels of the Australian education system, I will be looking at the history of the various relationships that exist between Australia and Japan (whether the relationship in questions is diplomatic, economic, business-to-business, or people-to-people in nature), and how the history of these relationships between Australia and Japan has had on the level of Japan literacy that exists among the general Australian populace, and in particular the level of Japan literacy that exist among student who are undertaking study at educational institutions that are located across all three levels of the Australian education system (and in particular the level of Japan literacy that exist among students who are undertaking study at educational institutions that are located at the tertiary level of the Australian education system). When it comes to the development of Japan literacy among the general Australian populace, an argument could be made that the willingness of members of the general Australian populace to become Japan literate could be a generational thing, with older generations (who had been more impacted by the Second World War) being less likely than younger generations to be willing to develop a high level of Japan literacy, an issue that will be discussed in more detail later on in this second article in this series of articles that is looking at Japan literacy in Australia and the level of Japan literacy that exist among the members of the general Australian populace, and in particular the level of Japan literacy that exist among students who are undertaking study at educational institutions that are located across all three levels of the Australian education system (and in particular the level of Japan literacy that exist among students who are undertaking study at educational institutions that are located at the tertiary level of the Australian education system).

You can view the entire article on my website at bhiskins.wordpress.com/2026/09…