Extraordinary Argentine Tango Performance

On February 15, Dr. Ritter Diaz, Representative Director of JAPOLAC, attended an Argentine tango performance at Bunkyo Civic Hall by kind invitation from the Argentine Embassy in Japan and the Min-On Concert Association.

On this ocassion, the Min-On Tango Series presented the “Quintet del Angel”, delivering an exceptional showcase of tango music and dance.

Prior to the start of the performance, Dr. Diaz exchanged greetings with the outgoing president of Min-On, Mr. Kazuto Ito, with whom he had previously collaborated during his tenure as Ambassador of Panama to Japan. Their collaboration featured a musical tour by the Panamanian singer, Patricia Vlieg, commemorating the 500th Anniversary of the Foundation of Panama City in 2019.

Additionally, Dr. Diaz seized the opportunity to meet the new President of Min-On Concert Association, Mr. Koji Yamaguchi, expressing JAPOLAC’s keen interest in collaborating with Min-On Concert Association to further promote and deepen awareness of musical culture of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Established in 1963 through the initiative of the late Daisaku Ikeda, president of Soka Gakkai International, the Min-On Concert Association operates as a nonprofit, independent, and nondenominational organization. Its mission is to foster global exchange in musical culture, aiming to cultivate mutual understanding, respect, and peace among people of diverse races and nationalities.

Celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Jamaica and Japan

Dr. Ritter Díaz, Director Representative, took part in the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Jamaica and Japan.

During this significant event, Dr. Díaz conveyed his heartfelt congratulations to H.E. Shorna-Kay Richards, Ambassador of Jamaica. The gathering brought together high government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives from the private sector, and distinguished figures from Japan’s social and cultural sphere.

This ceremony also took place amidst the official working visit to Japan by H.E. Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica.

During her visit, Minister Johnson Smith participated in an Exchange of Notes with Japan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Yoko Kamikawa, through which Japan donated a fisheries and marine research vessel to the government of Jamaica to strengthen capabilities in this area.

Additionally, Minister Johnson Smith announced the participation of Jamaican companies in FOODEX 2024 for the first time, with the aim of expanding commercial relations with Japan. Dr Diaz took the opportunity to extend greetings to Minister Johnson Smith, highlighting the past collaboration of JAPOLAC at the Sensitization Session for FOODEX 2024 organized by Jamaican Manufacturers and Exporters Association in July last year to provide Jamaican exporters with relevant information about FOODEX 2024 and the Japanese market.

It’s noteworthy that the Embassy of Jamaica, an honorary member of JAPOLAC, has collaborated with our association in promoting online academic programs between the University of Technology, Jamaica, and Chiba University.

Working Meeting with the Ambassador of Chile

Dr. Ritter Diaz, the Representative Director of JAPOLAC, recently held a working meeting with His Excellency Ricardo Rojas, the Ambassador of Chile. The purpose of the meeting was to inform Ambassador Rojas of the upcoming Short Online Program (SOP) organized by the Institute of Advanced Studies at the University of Santiago, Chile, specifically designed for students from Chiba University.

Ambassador Rojas expressed his gratitude for the information regarding this innovative program and recognized its potential to raise awareness of Chile in Japan. The Head of the Chilean diplomatic mission also pointed out that initiatives of this nature play an important role in promoting cross-cultural understanding and knowledge exchange between the two nations.

Scheduled to commence in March of this year, the 3-week SOP is poised to provide a practical learning experience for 24 Chiba University students. The program curriculum encompasses various courses, such as an overview of Chile, the processes involved in copper, lithium, and iodine production, an exploration of the thriving winery sector, an introduction to the salmon industry, and an examination of Chile’s forestry practices.

JAPOLAC’s short online programs serve as a valuable conduit for imparting practical knowledge about Latin American and Caribbean countries (LAC) to Japanese university students. The overarching goal is to inspire and motivate these students to visit and study in the countries of the LAC region.

One of the core objectives at JAPOLAC is to actively promote academic and research exchanges between Japanese universities and their counterparts in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Opening Ceremony of the Sixth Short Online Program (SOP) Delivered by the Technological University of Panama to Chiba University Students

On February 6, the sixth short online program, organized collaboratively by the Technological University of Panama and Chiba University, commenced as part of the University Internationalization Program under the coordination of the Japan Association for Promotion of Latin America and the Caribbean (JAPOLAC).

During the opening ceremony, Dr. Ritter Díaz, Representative Director of JAPOLAC, thanked both universities for their effort in organizing the virtual academic program, which is an example of sustainable international academic cooperation.

This three-week synchronous online program is designed for 29 Japanese students and is conducted entirely in English. It offers an overview of Panama, including the Panama Canal, the logistics hub, and forest engineering in Central America. Additionally, the program features a dedicated segment to foster cultural exchange and interaction between Japanese and Panamanian university students.

This short online program also exposes Japanese and Panamanian students to international communication in the English language, helping them develop confidence when interacting with the world in this digital age.

JAPOLAC’s short online programs are designed to provide practical knowledge about Latin American and Caribbean countries (LAC) to Japanese university students. These programs also aim to encourage students to travel to and study in the LAC region.

JAPOLAC’s Participation in the “BID for the Americas” Seminar

Dr. Ritter Diaz, the Representative Director of JAPOLAC, recently took part in the “BID for the Americas” seminar, which was organized by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) during the visit to Japan of IDB President, Ilan Goldfajn.

The primary objective of the seminar was to introduce Japanese companies to the bidding and investment opportunities offered by the Inter-American Development Bank in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

During the event, Dr. Diaz had a brief encounter with Mr. Hideharu Tanaka, the Representative of the IDB Office in Asia. Dr. Diaz conveyed JAPOLAC’s interest in collaborating with the IDB Office in Asia to enhance the presence of Japanese companies in the LAC region.

It is noteworthy that Dr. Diaz and Mr. Tanaka had previously collaborated in 2015 when Dr. Diaz served as the Ambassador of Panama to Japan, and Mr. Tanaka was the Director of Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Together, they were involved in the negotiation process for the Memorandum of Cooperation, which secured financing and construction of Line 3 of the Metro of Panama. The Line 3 consists of a 24.5-kilometers Japanese monorail to connect downtown Panama City to the western region of the country. Currently under construction, it is expected to become operational at the end of 2026.

The Line 3 represents a groundbreaking model of cooperation between Japan and Panama and is designed to serve as a blueprint for future transportation infrastructure projects throughout the Latin America and Caribbean region.