Dr. Ritter Diaz, Representative Director of JAPOLAC, along with his wife, attended the National Day Reception of Azerbaijan. During the event, Dr. Diaz extended his congratulations to H.E. Gursel Ismailzada, Ambassador of Azerbaijan, and wished for the continued prosperity of the Azerbaijani people. Additionally, Dr. Diaz exchanged greetings with Mr. Natsuo Yamaguchi, President of the Komeito Party, and other distinguished guests.
Author: metropolis
Promoting Academic Cooperation between the Faculty of Medicine of Panama University and the Faculty of Medicine of Chiba University
During his visit to Panama in May this year, Dr. Ritter Diaz, Representative Director of JAPOLAC, held a meeting with Dr. Oris Calvo, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Panama University, and her team to discuss the possibility of academic collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine at Chiba University.
Dr. Calvo expressed keen interest in establishing academic cooperation with Chiba University in various medical fields. In this regard, Dr. Diaz agreed to facilitate the introduction to relevant contacts at the Faculty of Medicine at Chiba University to initiate discussions on potential areas of collaboration between both medical schools.
One of the primary objectives of JAPOLAC is to promote academic collaboration between Japanese universities and those in Latin America and the Caribbean. Through initiatives like this, JAPOLAC plays an important role in advancing academic cooperation, fostering exchanges of knowledge, and facilitating research partnerships that benefit both regions.
Meeting on Semiconductors with Professors from the Technological University of Panama
During a trip to Panama in May of this year, Dr. Ritter Diaz, Director of JAPOLAC, held a meeting with professors from the Technological University of Panama who specialize in semiconductor education. The purpose of the meeting was to exchange opinions on Japan’s strategy to revitalize the semiconductor manufacturing industry. Dr. Diaz also shared details about his recent participation in the launch of the Costa Rica Semiconductor Roadmap.
Dr. Diaz reported that Japan’s strategy aims to revitalize the semiconductor manufacturing industry in order to play a central role in the global semiconductor supply chain. To this end, Japan has allocated financial subsidies amounting to approximately 25 billion dollars (3.9 trillion yen) between 2021 and 2023. This government support has attracted renowned foreign companies in the global semiconductor industry, such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (PSMC, Taiwan), Samsung (South Korea), Micron Technology (USA), Intel (USA), IBM (USA), Applied Materials (USA), and ASML (Netherlands), among other industry leaders.
Additionally, Dr. Diaz shared details about the launch of the Costa Rica Semiconductor Industry Roadmap. This effort, driven by the presence of Intel and the partnership between Costa Rica and the United States, seeks to diversify and strengthen a more resilient, secure, and sustainable global semiconductor value chain. This partnership is facilitated by the International Technology Security and Innovation Fund (ITSI Fund), created by the 2022 US CHIPS Act. Costa Rica is not only engaged in semiconductor testing, assembly, and packaging, but is also venturing into chip design.
Dr. Diaz noted that Panama, under the educational leadership of the Technological University of Panama and the National Secretariat of Science and Tecnology, has a great opportunity to develop the semiconductor industry. Like Costa Rica, Panama has been included in the partnership with the United States to be part of a stable supply chain in the Latin American and Caribbean region. Additionally, Panama boasts an important international logistics center to support this supply chain, complementing semiconductor production in Costa Rica.
In this regard, he emphasized that Panama must transform the education curriculum to service global semiconductor companies, in the same way as Costa Rica did to attract high-tech companies like Intel. In addition, the educational model should also prepare citizens for communication with machines, including learning the language of artificial intelligence, in addition to their native language, Spanish, and English as an international communication language.
Dr. Diaz reiterated the support of JAPOLAC to the Technological University of Panama to establish links with Japanese institutions and companies related to research and development in semiconductors and other areas of technological development. In this regard, he has already approached the Faculty of Engineering at Chiba University, aiming at the training of professors and students from the Technological University of Panama in the field of semiconductors.
Closing Ceremony of the First Short Online Program Delivered by the University of Santiago, Chile to Chiba University Students
On April 4th, the University of Santiago, Chile, carried out the closing ceremony for its first short online program, delivered to students of Chiba University, Japan, and supported by the Japan Association for the Promotion of Latin America and the Caribbean (JAPOLAC).
During the ceremony, Dr. Ritter Diaz, Representative Director of JAPOLAC, offered congratulations to the students and faculty of both institutions for the successful culmination of the program. He commended Japanese students for their dedication to learning about Chile, including its key industrial sectors such as mining, winemaking, salmon farming, and forestry. Dr. Diaz underscored the significance of this educational initiative in promoting cross-cultural understanding and appreciation, as well as fostering meaningful interactions between Japanese and Chilean students.
Moreover, Dr. Diaz highlighted the integration of digital tools and processes into education, emphasizing its cost-effectiveness and its positive impact to expand international academic collaboration. He mentioned that this short online program will pave the way for deeper academic cooperation between Chiba University and the University of Santiago.
These short online programs are carefully coordinated by JAPOLAC to provide practical knowledge to Japanese students, encouraging them to pursue further educational opportunities in Latin American and Caribbean countries. They also offer a valuable opportunity for students to engage in international communication in English language. Ultimately, these programs serve as a good example of international academic collaboration, enriching the educational experiences of students.
The closing ceremony counted on the presence of His Excellency Ricardo Rojas, Ambassador of Chile to Japan, Dr. Hiroaki Ozawa, Vice-President for Education and International Affairs at Chiba University, and Dr. Cesar Ross, Director of the Asian Study Nucleus (ASN) and Senior Researcher at the Institute of Advanced Studies at the University of Santiago, Chile.
Luncheon in honor of Dr. Michiko Takagaki, Professor of Chiba University
Dr. Ritter Diaz, Representative Director of JAPOLAC, hosted a luncheon to celebrate the frutiful career and retirement of Dr. Michiko Takagaki, professor at the Faculty of Horticulture of Chiba University.
During this occasion, Dr. Diaz expressed profound gratitude to Dr. Takagaki for her unwavering support and dedication in fostering academic collaborations between Chiba University and various academic institutions across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) through the JAPOLAC program for university internationalization.
The university internationalization program endeavors to provide Japanese students with practical insights into the diverse cultures and landscapes of LAC. Under Dr. Takagaki’s guidance, Chiba University has successfully conducted short online programs in partnership with the Panama Technological University, the University of Technology, Jamaica, and the University of Santiago, Chile.
Dr. Diaz also commended Dr. Takagaki’s instrumental role in advancing Controlled Environment Agriculture in Panama, which led to the establishment of the Research Center for Agriculture Production in Controlled Environment (CIPAC, in Spanish). It is expected that CIPAC will significantly contribute to the widespread adoption of this innovative agricultural technology throughout the LAC region.
The luncheon counted on the presence of distinguished guests, including Mrs. Zaradeeth Del Real, Second Secretary of the Embassy of Panama, Mr. Yoshio Suzuki, President of Saza Coffee, Mr. Koichiro Akechi, President of the Association for the Conservation of Wild Orchids of Panama (COSPA), and Dr. Lu Na, professor of Chiba University, alongside other attendees.
