JAPOLAC, in collaboration with the Embassy of Panama to Japan, started a special lecture on diplomatic communication for students of international studies and Spanish at Utsunomiya University.

The lecture is designed to teach students basic and practical knowledge on the diplomatic correspondence employed by states to communicate with each other as well as a brief history of diplomacy delivered in three sessions by professional diplomats.

It is also designed to support the teaching of Spanish in Japan, in a practical way, complementing theoretical knowledge and to prepare Japanese students to carry out an internship at a Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) embassy or an international institution in the last years of their university studies, paving the way for a future career in diplomacy or at an international organization.

In addition, this initiative seeks to establish a closer link between LAC embassies and Japanese universities to advance academic exchanges with universities in the LAC region.

The lecture began with a video message from the Ambassador of Panama to Japan, H.E. Carlos Pere, who invited students from Utsunomiya University to carry out short-stay internships at the Panama Embassy to obtain first-hand knowledge of the work at a diplomatic mission.

PDF: Diplomatic-Comm

Dr. Ritter Diaz, Representative Director of JAPOLAC, together with Mr. Hirokazu Yamaguchi, Managing Director of the association, held a working meeting with H.E. Shorna-Kay Richards to report advances in the preparation of the short online program to be delivered by the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech, Ja.) to students from Chiba University (CU) in Spring 2023.

At the meeting, Dr. Diaz also informed that UTech, Ja. and CU university have already started conversations to establish an academic exchange agreement to foster research and academic cooperation between both universities.

One of the activities of JAPOLAC is the promotion of academic exchanges between Japanese and Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) universities, and in this regard, relies on the cooperation of the LAC embassies to identify universities interested in fostering academic links with Japan.

During the meeting, Ambassador Richards also expressed her thankfulness to Dr. Diaz for the donation carried out by JAPOLAC to support the social work of the Child Resiliency Program (CRP) in Jamaica.

On November 24, 2022, the government of Spain, decorated Mr. Kiyoshi Kimura, Honorary Director of JAPOLAC, with the Order of the Civil Merit of Spain in the degree of Encomienda.
The ceremony was held at the official residence of the Spanish Ambassador to Japan, H. E. Fidel Sendagorta Gomez del Campillo, who highlighted the notable contributions of Mr. Kimura to the Kingdom of Spain.

Mr. Kimura is the President of Kiyomura Corporation and owner of the sushi restaurant chain known as Sushi Zanmai. Throughout the years, Mr. Kimura has contributed to Spain economy through the import of fishery products, including Spanish tuna served at various locations of Sushi Zanmai.

During the pandemic, Kiyomura Corporation supported the vaccination efforts of the Japanese government, helping with the vaccination of personnel from various embassies in Japan, including the personnel of the Spanish Embassy in Tokyo.

The decoration ceremony also counted on the participation of Mr. Toshihiro Nikai, member of the Lower House of Parliament and prominent member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, H.E. Yasutoshi Nishimura, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, ambassadors and important personalities of Japanese society.

JAPOLAC members extend its deepest congratulations to Mr. Kimura for such a high distinction from the Kingdom of Spain and wish continued well-being for Kiyomura Corporation and his personnel.

On October 7, 2022, JAPOLAC held the cultural event “Rhythms of the Caribbean” at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan in the heart of Tokyo.

H.E. Shorna-Kay Richards, Ambassador of Jamaica to Japan delivered greetings remarks at the event highlighting the invaluable cooperation of JAPOLAC, which has contributed to create linkages between Japan and the Caribbean region not only in the cultural area but also in the field of education.

This year, JAPOLAC started a series of cultural events called “Rhythms of the Caribbean” to promote music, dance, food and tourism of countries in the Caribbean region.

On this occasion, the event was designed to showcase music, dance, food and tourism of Jamaica.

Through these events, JAPOLAC aims at strengthening cultural identities of the region in the mind of Japanese people by highlighting iconic aspects of Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Over 100 persons attended the event including ambassadors from Cuba, Haiti, Cote d’Ivoire, Azerbaijan, and the First Secretary of the embassy of Dominican Republic on behalf of the ambassador.

The event was supported by the companies Kiyomura Corporation (Sushi Zanmai), Japan Partnership Holdings, Saza Coffee, Unidos, Co. Ltd (KYODAI) and Sukoruni Wine, Co. Ltd.

Under the program of university internationalization of JAPOLAC, the University of Technology, Jamaica and Chiba University held the closing ceremony of the first online program on September 29, 2022.

During the three-weeks program, Chiba University students took online courses about the Jamaica, Jamaica’s Environment and Climate Change as well as the Energy Sector of the country. The program also included a segment for cultural interaction between Jamaican and Japanese students.

The program of university internationalization seeks to offer short online courses to Japanese students in English language so that they learn about the different aspects of Latin American and Caribbean countries, such as history, language, government, culture, geography, society, economy, environment, among others.