Attendance of commemoration ceremony for the 76th Anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea in Sydney

On May 5^th, Ambassador Kusaka attended a commemoration ceremony for the 76^th Anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea, which was held at the National Maritime Museum and was hosted by the Museum and the Naval Officers Club. He was accompanied to this event by the Naval Attaché to the Embassy of Japan, Captain Shinsuke Amano. Ambassador Kusaka was first invited to attend such a commemoration ceremony as the representative of the Government of Japan last year, and so attended this year’s event in that capacity.

The ceremony was attended on the Australian side by Captain Craig Powell, representing the Commander of the Australian Fleet, along with Museum Director Mr Kevin Sumption, Naval Officers Club President Mr Rick Bayley, and Mr James Caruso, the US Charge d’Affaires. The ceremony itself, which included speeches and the laying of wreathes, took place on board the de-commissioned Royal Australian Naval Ship “Vampire”, and was attended by members of the veteran community. The ceremony featured renditions of the Australian, Japanese, and US national anthems performed separately by members of the Royal Australian Navy Band.  

The lunch event that followed the commemoration ceremony was attended by the principle guests along with the President of the Australian Association of Surgeons, members of Australian Defence Force medical units, and members of the Naval Officers Club. Ambassador Kusaka, along with US Charge d’Affaires Caruso, President Bayley and Director Sumption, made speeches and remarks at the lunch event.
​(Link to the Ambassador's speech) 

 

​The ceremony attendees	​HMAS Vampire, the venue for the ceremony
Listening to renditions of national anthems performed by ADF personnel	Ambassador Kusaka making a speech at the lunch event