Welcome to our new-look Asia:NZ newsletter. It is intended to keep you regularly updated on our diverse work.

To celebrate Diwali Festival of Lights, Asia:NZ and Cathay Pacific invite you to test your writing skills and be in to win a trip for two to India. The rules are simple – all you have to do is write a short story of up to 800 words which includes the following four words: “Diwali”, “homecoming”, “lamington”, and “Cathay Pacific”. Read more and enter

A new report with key advice on how to do business in Japan is now available on our website. The report Next Stop Japan: A Guide to Doing Business in Japan explores the factors that ensure success in building business relationships in New Zealand’s fourth largest export market. Asia:NZ also sponsored a series of seminars in August 2009 aimed at helping Kiwi exporters. Read about "Think Japan" in Auckland.

Robina Ang, Asia:NZ Singapore Scholar, has just completed a four year honours degree in bio-engineering at the prestigious National University of Singapore (NUS). Wellington-born Robina is on her way to Sweden to complete a Master’s in International Development and Management. Asia:NZ Online caught up with her just before she left for Europe.

Asia:NZ hosted Prof Go Ito, Professor of International Relations at the prestigious Meiji University in Tokyo, in August 2009. His busy itinerary took in a variety of engagements in Auckland and Wellington. It was a timely visit. Our interview with Prof Ito covered upcoming elections in Japan on 30 August.

Young leader Kaiying Chin worked as an intern at the International Business Center of the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) under Asia:NZ’s inaugural Chinese Taipei Internship Programme. One of two young leaders sent to ITRI in 2009, the eight-week internship was based in Hsinchu. Melissa Wong was the other intern - read her postcard from Taipei.