From 19 July to 12 August, Morgan Evans travelled to Japan with Surf Life Saving Australia as part of the 2025 Australia-Japan Lifesaver Exchange Program. Evans was one of four lucky young lifesavers to go on the trip this year and the only one from Tasmania.

We caught up with Evans after his extraordinary learning experience in Japan to see what he learnt, communicating with lifesavers from another country and how the experience has had an impact on him.

What was your first impression of Japan and the surf lifesaving community there?

“We first arrived in Tokyo and then travelled about an hour and a half south to a picturesque coastal town called Iwai. That’s where we met the team of Japanese lifesavers we’d be spending the next two weeks with. 

“What struck me straight away was their commitment. In Japan, most people only get around two weeks of annual leave, and this group had chosen to spend theirs volunteering on the beach. They were all especially dedicated to life prevention, with a strong focus on early intervention for youth.”

Can you share a standout memory or moment from your time on the program?

“For each group of students, we would run a tsunami evacuation drill to show how real the risk is, given Japan’s location on the Pacific Ring of Fire. That risk became pretty immediate when a magnitude 8.8 earthquake hit off the east coast of Russia and tsunami warnings were issued across Japan. At the beach, we just followed the drill like we’d practiced. Luckily, because of the way the tectonic plates moved, the quake didn’t displace enough water to create a large tsunami. What could have been a dangerous situation turned into a valuable learning experience, giving insight into Japan Lifesaving’s disaster management.”

What was the most surprising or different aspect of surf lifesaving in Japan compared to Australia?

“Japan has a great relationship with their universities, with many lifesavers starting their lifesaving journey through uni. Around 70% of Japanese lifesavers are university students. Because of work commitments, many students give up lifesaving to focus on their careers. Japan lifesaving is working on this retention and aiming to make lifesaving more accessible.”

Did you get to experience any Japanese cultural traditions outside of lifesaving? 

“Yes! Food was always a highlight, so many amazing dishes and fun snacks. Some traditions were easy to get used to, while others, like sharing showers with other lifesavers, took a bit of warming up. One fun surprise was how popular Disneyland is in Japan. I’d never been there before, but had an awesome time there.”

What new skills or knowledge did you gain from the program?

“The biggest skill I gained was learning to communicate with students who didn’t speak any English. We used very basic Japanese words, hand signals, and demonstrations to get our points across. This made me realise that language isn’t always a barrier if you’re willing to be creative and patient.”

What advice would you give to other young lifesavers who might want to apply for this exchange program?

“If you’re like me and want to experience lifesaving in other parts of the world, I’d recommend getting experience in education or training within your club or state. In Japan, lifesavers really value Australian lifesavers for our knowledge and experience, so being competent in all areas of lifesaving will help you get the most out of the program.”

We thank Morgan for sharing his stories and insights into what was a once-in-a-lifetime lifesaving trip. If you’re interested in finding out more about these experiences in lifesaving, keep in touch with the SLST team.