Selling Goodwill: Peter Russo and the Promotion of Australia-Japan Relations, 1935-1941

This article examines the contribution of Dr Peter Russo (1908-1985) to Australia-Japan relations from 1935 to 1941. Born and educated in Australia, Russo went to Japan in 1931 as the recipient of a travelling scholarship, and in 1934 he was appointed to a lectureship in modern languages at the Tokyo University of Commerce. In 1935, acting in his capacity as delegate for Japan's principal organisation for international cultural relations, he undertook a successful lecture tour in Australia, and in the same year acted as adviser to Japanese diplomat, Katsuji Debuchi, on a goodwill tour of Australia and New Zealand. Over the next five years Russo worked to consolidate these efforts, but as the Pacific War drew closer his loyalty to Australia was increasingly brought into question. The article will trace the development of Russo's role in promoting Australia-Japan relations between 1935 and his return to Australia amid suspicion and controversy in 1941.