The agreement was signed by AOC President John Coates and JOC President Tsunekazu Takeda at Japan House in Vancouver and encompasses all sports from both the Summer and Winter Olympic programmes until at least 2016.

"We have strong diplomatic and sporting ties and our two countries are very strong competitors in Olympic sport," Coates said.

"This agreement will allow athletes, coaches and officials from both Japan and Australia to work together and use the best facilities, ideas and latest scientific and medical trends available to their sports.

"It will allow athletes to travel according to the needs of their specific sports and in environments that are particularly relevant to their disciplines.

"This will further strengthen the fantastic bond the Australian and Japanese Olympic Committees enjoy and ensure the great working relationship extends into the future.

"What pleases me most about this agreement is that it will also see an exchange of ideas across other aspects that are important to growing the Olympic Movement such as medical science, marketing and business information."



Double Olympic swimming champion and member of the AOC Athletes' Commission Grant Hackett was on hand in Vancouver to witness the signing of the agreement.

"This really is big news for the athletes of Australia and Japan," Hackett said.

"For a young athlete moving through in their sport to be given the opportunity to travel, train and learn from some of the best overseas coaches is going to be of enormous benefit.

"I could imagine what sort of assistance it would be for a young Japanese swimmer to be given access to the Australian Institute of Sport, just as it would be for a young Australian skier to be based for a time in some of the Japanese snowfields.

“It also again highlights the tremendous goodwill between countries that compete at Olympic level and how important it is for athletes and officials to continue to embrace that."

The agreement comes into affect immediately, with the JOC hoping to ensure a strong presence at the 2013 Australian Youth Olympic Festival.