Upcoming Events
ANZCCJ invites members and friends to join us in celebrating International Women's Day at a special breakfast event on Friday 6 March 2026 at the Pullman Tokyo Tamachi.
Join Rionne McAvoy, President & CEO, Japan Media Services Inc., and director of The Ones Left Behind: The Plight of Single Mothers in Japan, for a fireside chat with Mayumi Nishida, Co-representative Director of Heart Full Family - a charity dedicated to supporting single mothers and fathers on their path to independence and empowering single-parent families to lead fulfilling, connected lives.
Together, our speakers will explore the 2026 International Women’s Day global theme, “Give to Gain.” This theme - rooted in the idea that progress accelerates when we uplift others - encourages individuals, businesses, and communities to take meaningful action that strengthens the collective good. The IWD movement highlights that generosity is not passive; it is a deliberate investment in advancing women’s equality.
This year, ANZCCJ has chosen to focus on single mothers and the realities of single-parent households in Japan, an issue that lies at the crossroads of gender, inequality, economic participation, and social inclusion. Rionne’s award-winning documentary The Ones Left Behind offers an unflinching look at the challenges many single mothers endure: systemic barriers, societal stigma, limited support structures, and the increasing number of women who fall into poverty despite working tirelessly. Through powerful personal stories, the film reveals how structural inequities and rigid employment norms continue to constrain opportunities for women raising children alone.
These experiences reflect core IWD principles - dignity, opportunity, representation - and underscore the urgent need to create a society where no woman is left behind because of her circumstances. By spotlighting this issue, the Chamber aims to promote awareness of an often-overlooked social and economic challenge - one that is deeply connected to Japan’s future workforce health, productivity, and community resilience. It is also an opportunity for our members to reflect on how each of us can “give” in ways that enable others, and our society as a whole, to “gain.”
The conversation will explore practical ways individuals and organisations can meaningfully #GiveToGain - through mentorship, sharing expertise, opening networks, offering resources, advocating for change, and creating opportunities - and how these commitments build long-term, sustainable impact for women, families, and society as a whole.
Speakers include
- Helen Stylianou, Australian Chargé d'affaires to Japan
- Ambassador Lucy Duncan, New Zealand Chargé d’Affaires in Japan
- Rionne McAvoy, President & CEO, Japan Media Services Inc., Director of The Ones Left Behind: The Plight of Single Mothers in Japan
- Mayumi Nishida, Co-representative Director of Heart Full Family
Sponsors include
This event is proudly supported by the following ANZCCJ Members:
- JPY 100,000 Sponsors: ASHURST • BOND UNIVERSITY • HERBERT SMITH FREEHILLS KRAMER • JLL • LENDLEASE • MACQUARIE • MINTER ELLISON • NAB
- JPY 50,000 Sponsors: COLLIERS • HORITOMI • JARMAN (DEEP JAPAN) • KBA: KOKUSAI BUSINESS ADVISORY
- Translation Services: THE MEEHAN GROUP
Door prizes
In addition, door prizes will be provided by the generous contributions from:
- PULLMAN TOKYO TAMACHI- A one-night stay in an executive room for two including breakfast
- CONRAD TOKYO - A one-night stay in a bay view room for two including breakfast
All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Heart Full Family to support their ongoing work providing comprehensive assistance to single mothers and fathers, and enabling single-parent families to thrive.
Date: Fri 06 March 2026
Time: 8:00AM - 9:00AM (Doors open at 7:30AM)
Venue: Pullman Tokyo Tamachi Banquet Room (9F), 3 Chome−1−21 Shibaura Minato-ku, Tokyo 198-0023
Price: ¥10,000 - incl. 1 raffle tickets | ¥12,000 - incl. 3 raffle tickets | ¥14,000 - incl. 5 raffle tickets
RSVP: Fri 27 Feb 2026
Note:
- Payment is required at the time of purchase of tickets. Please note that unpaid registrations will not be added to the guest list.
- No shows/cancellations will not be refunded as places are limited.
- If you have any dietary requests, please email mari.nakano@anzccj.jp by Friday 27 February 2026.
- ANZCCJ will be taking photos throughout the event, which may include the faces of guests. These photos will be used by ANZCCJ on our website and other materials. By participating in this event, we wish to let you know that your photo may be taken. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please email us or let us know at the event registration desk on the day.
The ANZCCJ Sports for Business Committee (SFB) is pleased to invite members and guests to a fireside chat and networking evening - Life After Sport: Building High-Performance Careers Beyond the Game - on Monday 09 March 2026 at Pullman Tokyo Tamachi.
Join former Australian Wallaby and Japanese Blossom player Ian Williams; former Australian Wallaby and Kubota Spears player Bernard Foley; NTT Docomo player Nick Jooste; Jess Souchon, Head Performance Analyst at Mitsubishi DynaBoars; and Former World Rugby Elite Panel Referee Taizo Hirabayashi, for an engaging conversation with ANZCCJ Chair, Byron Frost, on one of the most significant challenges elite athletes face: transitioning from a professional sporting career into the business world.
Guests will enjoy canapés and free-flow drinks as the speakers share first-hand reflections on navigating identity change, reframing athletic strengths for corporate environments, developing new technical capability, building strategic networks, and planning long-term financial and career pathways.
Drawing on real experiences from both sport and business, the speakers will offer practical, grounded insights into how athletes can successfully reposition themselves, leverage their high-performance mindset, and build rewarding second careers beyond the field.
Date: Monday 09 March 2026
Time: 4:30PM - 7:30PM (Doors open at 4:00PM)
Venue: Pullman Tokyo Tamachi - 3-1-21 Shibaura, Minato-ku, 108-0023
Menu: Canapés and free-flow drinks
Price: ANZCCJ Members ¥8,000 | Non-members ¥10,000
RSVP: 5:00PM Mon 02 March 2026
The ANZCCJ extends a warm welcome to members and guests to the "Kiwi Aussie Mixer - Tokyo Edition" - a networking gem, celebrating the spirit of camaraderie and the joy of coming together.
Join us at YOTEL Tokyo Ginza for this evening dedicated to honouring the sense of community, friendship, and bond shared among our Kiwi and Aussie members!
Date: Thursday 19 March 2026
Time: 6:30PM - 8:30PM
Venue: YOTEL Tokyo Ginza 1 Chome-7-7 Shinbashi, Minato City, Tokyo 105-0004
Menu: Free-flow drinks and finger food
Price: ¥7,000
Registrations Close: 5:00PM Thursday 12 March 2026
Past Events
Food, Agriculture and Hospitality Committee (FAHC) Chairs Tim Barnstable and Don Roxburgh are pleased to invite committee members to join an in-person meeting on April 13, featuring guest speaker Elizabeth Cox, Australian Embassy Minister (Commercial) and Austrade General Manager (North East Asia), to discuss the relaunch of Australia's Nation Brand and the resources available for industry members.
The meeting will be followed by drinks and refreshments, courtesy of Platform 9 bar, Pullman Tokyo Tamachi.
Date: Wednesday 13 April, 2022
Time: 6:30PM - 8:30PM (Doors open at 6:00PM)
Location: Platform 9, Pullman Tokyo Tamachi
Price: ANZCCJ Member ¥6,500 | Non-Member ¥8,000
Registration deadline: Monday 11 April, 12:00PM
Note:
1. Payment is required at time of purchase of tickets. Please note that unpaid registrations will not be added to the guest list. No shows/cancellations will not be refunded as places are limited.
2. If you have any dietary restrictions, please email us at Akihiro.ito@anzccj.jp before 11th April.
3. Health and safety precautions will be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Please cooperate with requests to sanitise hands and maintain social distancing during this event. Please refrain from participating in this event if you have a fever or feel unwell.
ANZCCJ will be taking photos throughout the event, which may include faces of guests. These photos will be used by ANZCCJ on our website and other material. By participating in this event, we wish to let you know that your photo may be taken. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please email us or let us know at the event registration desk on the day.
Following the rapid change and disruption of the past few years, the "future of work" and need for greater workplace flexibility is a key topic of conversation for employers and employees alike, highlighting the need for business leaders to prioritise people through their HR practices, as a valuable tool to future-proof their organisation.
Human Resources professional and Founder of Elsyung Consulting Elsie Yung joins ANZCCJ and AustCham Korea for a joint-Chamber webinar to discuss what HR can do for your company's business success while having a meaningful impact for your employees.
Topics covered will include:
- Why people are your top priority
- Why HR is important for a successful business
- How HR is your best partner to drive success
- Vitality and Business Continuity
- Productivity and Efficiency
- Cost Reduction
- How to start with limited resources – HR Excellence Benchmark Report
The year 2021 saw an unprecedented amount of attention around COP26, the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Glasgow, Scotland, from key stakeholders around the world and in Japan. We can safely say that sustainability is more mainstream than ever. From regulators to civil society to businesses, there is clearly buzz around themes such as environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG), net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, and human rights, to name a few.
What key trends will shape the sustainability agenda in 2022? Join us for this virtual event to hear from a distinguished group of panelists. During a discussion moderated by ACCJ Sustainability Committee Co-chair Heather McLeish, the panelists will share their perspectives on the sustainability outlook for 2022 and the implications for businesses and society. They will also address the key points of how to turn sustainability ambitions into reality.
Date: Tuesday 29 March 2022
Location: Online
ANZCCJ Member Fee: ¥600
Registration/Cancellation Deadline: Monday, March 28, noon
About the Speakers
Alexander Dmitrenko
A partner in the Tokyo dispute resolution practice of international law firm Ashurst LLP, Alexander Dmitreko has practiced in New York and Tokyo over the past 15 years and is a gaikokuho jimu bengoshi (registered foreign lawyer) in Japan. His expertise spans sanctions and export controls, anti-bribery and corruption, ESG, human rights and forced labor, and other compliance-related matters. He frequently writes and conducts media interviews related to sanctions developments, and teaches international compliance at the Beasley School of Law at Temple University, Japan Campus, where he is also chair of the Compliance Advisory Subcommittee.
Trista Bridges
A sustainable business expert who is passionate about changing business for good, Trista Bridges strongly believes that sustainable business equals smart business. She co-founded Read the Air to shift mindsets, business strategies, and ways of working towards models that put sustainability at the core, and works with companies across various sectors to achieve this objective. Bridges is co-author of Leading Sustainably: The Path to Sustainable Business and How the SDGs Changed Everything, published by Routledge in 2020.
Angela Yuen
Deputy General Counsel of JERA Co., Inc., Japan’s largest power generator and a global energy company, Angela Yuen oversees the entire Legal Group and advises on projects and transactions that are strategically important to JERA’s corporate mission. JERA owns businesses across the entire supply chains for fuel and thermal power, from fuel upstream business (gas field development) to fuel transportation and storage (fuel terminal operation) to power generation and wholesaling. Yuen is an expert in major projects in energy, resources, and infrastructure sectors, and has diverse experience in large-scale international transactions, including joint ventures, project development, construction, asset acquisition and disposal, procurement, and marketing arrangements across the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, and the Americas. She has more than 20 years of combined experience gained at iconic Japanese trading companies, Australia’s largest gold miner, and top-tier private practice.
Heather McLeish (Moderator)
Heather McLeish is a Director at EY Japan focused on the global business development for one of Japan’s biggest Insurance companies. She connects and empowers the global EY team to bring the best EY services to the client their group companies. Heather started her career in EY Japan by helping to build the Climate Change and Sustainability Services (CCaSS) practice in 2015 and was involved in the overall management, development and market impact of this business. In CCaSS Heather built a business service which focuses on helping Japanese companies understand and mitigate their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) risks.
Heather serves as the ACCJ Sustainability Chair (2021) and is an Executive Committee member with the BCCJ since 2018.
Co-hosts: American Chamber of Commerce in Japan; Australian and New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Japan; British Chamber of Commerce in Japan; Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan, German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan
NOTE 1: This event is OFF THE RECORD.
NOTE 2: Please note that, as with all guest presentations, the content and comments of the speakers reflect their own opinions and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of the ACCJ or co-hosting Chambers.
NOTE 3: If you cancel after the stated deadline, the full meeting fee will be charged to your account.
ANZCCJ invites members and friends to join us in celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8 at Conrad Tokyo. International Women’s Day is an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the contributions of women and girls around the world, while calling for progress and social change to ensure greater diversity and equal opportunity. With the 2022 theme of “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, we are delighted to welcome a panel of leaders highlighting the importance of harnessing women’s skills in order to build a sustainable future for all.
Date: Tuesday 8 March, 2022
Time: 8am - 9.30am (Doors open at 7.30am)
Venue: Hamarikyu Ballroom, Conrad Tokyo
Price: ANZCCJ Member ¥8,000 | Non-Member ¥9,500
[Registration for this event has now closed]
MC: Kanna Mihara - Senior Vice President, Macquarie Capital | ANZCCJ Executive Council
Speakers:
- Dr. Lena Okajima - Founder & CEO, ALE Co., Ltd.
- Melissa Kuwahara - GM, Global Talent Acquisition, Rakuten
- Amy Fischer - Regulatory Compliance Officer, Aesop
Moderator: Gerard Adams - General Manager, Corporate Strategy, Kyowa Hakko Bio | ANZCCJ Executive Council
*Note: In accordance with the Tokyo Metropolitan guidelines, guests will be asked to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination at the door.
Thank you for your cooperation.
The ANZCCJ Technology, Innovation, Education and Research (TIER) Committee was formed in July 2020 with a mission to create, identify and connect new networks through appropriately enhanced communication and engagement, that will enable members to modernise the perception of Australia and New Zealand in Japan and that of Japan in Australia and New Zealand, across the four TIER pillars.
In February 2022, the TIER Committee will host “Down to Earth: Creating opportunities in space through tech collaboration and innovation” to discuss how rapid innovation in robotics and automation is creating greater accessibility to new technologies, addressing issues currently impacting our life on earth, and broadening the realm of possibility for future exploration of space.
Date: Thurs 24 February, 2022
Time: 12:00 – 13:15 JST
Location: Zoom (online)
Speakers:
- Kaho Sakakibara – Founder and CEO, Space Entertainment
- Dr. Catherine Grace – Assistant Director, South Australian Space Industry Centre (SASIC)
- Dr. Sandy Tirtey – Director, Global Commercial Launch Services, Rocket Lab
Moderator: Sally Townsend - Commissioner, South Australia – Japan and Korea (Tokyo)
After many months of fanfare, COP26 concluded on November 13 2021 with the nearly 200 Parties agreeing on the Glasgow Climate Pact. But what does this agreement actually entail and how will its contents impact business? Does the GCP meet, exceed or fall short of expectations? Now that its “wheels up” for COP26 delegates, what will the actual market response be (if any)? How will countries turn these promises into action, and what will be the role of the private sector in achieving these targets?
On the morning of Tuesday 22 February, BCCJ Executive Committee Responsible Business taskforce leader Tove Kinooka will sit down with industry leaders to review the key outcomes of COP26, and share takeaways from the private and public sectors.
Date: Tues 22 February
Time: 8:30AM - 9:30AM JST
Location: Online
Speakers:
- Alistair Dormer | Representative Executive Officer, Hitachi, Ltd
- Jenifer Rogers | General Counsel Asia, Asurion
- Aragon St-Charles | Global Head of ESG, Dentons
Moderator: Tove Kinooka | Co-Founder, Global Perspectives K.K. / BCCJ Responsible Business taskforce
About
This “Beyond COP” series of events is being convened by a coalition of international Chambers of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ, ANZCCJ, BCCJ, CCCJ, IJCC) with the aim of promoting understanding of and action on critical climate issues. Pre-COP26, the coalition’s aim was to build awareness and engagement ahead of the conference; the group now moves into review mode, to provide helpful analysis of key conference outcomes, and co-create practical, industry-specific action points for businesses of all sizes.
+61 (0) 3 4400 2972
info@anzccj.jp
