Dr Carmen Lim leads an Australia-Japan national survey collaboration between UQ and the University of Tokyo.
Regional Harm Reduction: A Bilateral Australia–Japan Drug Policy Initiative
September 2025
Teaser image
NCYSUR’s Dr Carmen Lim has been funded by the University of Queensland Global Partnerships Scheme to establish Australia and Japan’s first-ever national survey on drug use and harm minimisation practices, a critical step towards evidence-based policy reforms.
To strengthen the survey’s relevance, this initiative will prioritise reciprocal knowledge exchange and capacity building, with Japanese researchers visiting Australia during October-November 2025, followed by Australian researchers travelling to Japan in February-March 2026 for various engagements to accelerate survey development while learning about each country’s harm reduction models.
Expected outcomes include comparative research publications, and expanded regional collaborations to inform policy recommendations, aligning with the WHO and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to reduce premature deaths from drug-related harms.
Dr Lim co-organised a substance use harm reduction symposium at the National Institute of Mental Health, Tokyo Japan on January 21, 2025.
