On February 25, Dr. Ritter Diaz, Representative Director of JAPOLAC, participated in the celebration of the 178 Anniversary of the Independence of the Dominican Republic.
On this occasion, H.E. Robert Takata, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Dominican Republic conveyed a congratulatory message, reiterating the strong bonds of friendship between Japan and the Dominican Republic.
The event counted on the participation of high representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Heads of Mission of Latin America and Caribbean countries accredited in Japan, business people as well as other distinguished members of Japanese society.
The Japan Association for Promotion of Latin America and the Caribbean (JAPOLAC) organized a business meeting to introduce cocoa from Forest Finance, an international forest-conservation company operating in Panama to produce high quality organic cocoa for the European markets.
One of the activities of JAPOLAC is the promotion of small and medium size companies from Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries interested in the Japanese market. JAPOLAC also collaborate with large and international companies interested in expanding trade between Japan and LAC countries.
Through business facilitation, and in collaboration with government trade agencies and business associations, JAPOLAC identifies, evaluate, select and recommend companies in the LAC region with high quality products for the Japanese market.
JAPOLAC also promotes small and medium size Japanese companies interested in selling products in LAC countries.
Dr. Ritter Diaz, Representative Director of JAPOLAC held a meeting with Mrs. Roxana Oshiro, Director of the Kobe-based Hyogo Latin Community to explain the objectives and activities of JAPOLAC and explore ways to cooperate to further support the smooth integration of Latin people into Japanese society.
During the meeting, Mrs. Oshiro expressed her gratitude to JAPOLAC in view that the 2021 Christmas Charity Party of the Association was held to raise funds to support the Hyogo Latin Community, which carries out welfare activities on behalf of the Latin community in Japan, including the publication of the free-of-charge magazine Latina-a and radio and TV programs with educational purposes.
Together with Mr. Hirokazu Yamaguchi, Managing Director of JAPOLAC, Dr. Diaz praised Mrs. Oshiro’s social leadership for over 20 years at the helm of the Hyogo Latin Community and reiterated the support of JAPOLAC to further improve life of Latin people in Japan.
The Hyogo Latin Community has also been very active to promote education on natural disasters among the Latin community in view of their experience coping with the 1995 Kobe Earthquake and due to the challenges posed by Climate Change nowadays.
On December 15, 2021, the Board of Directors of JAPOLAC incorporated Mrs. Noemi Inoue, Councilwoman from the District of Sumida, Tokyo, as honorary member of the Association.
Mrs. Noemi Inoue was born in La Paz , Bolivia. She holds a degree in economy from Universidad Mayor de San Andres.
She began her professional career at the Central Bank of Bolivia, and later, worked for the United Nations in La Paz and New York.
In 1995, she moved from New York City to Tokyo, and in 2011, became the first woman of foreign origin to start a political career as Councilwoman of the District of Sumida, Tokyo, which she considers as an “arduous, but rewarding career”.
In 2009, she established the Association of Friendship between Japan and Latin America, serving as director. She also established the Association of Friendship Japan Sumida – Bolivia in 2016.
JAPOLAC grants Honorary Individual Membership to citizens who holds or have held positions of leadership in government, industry, academia and society, showing an excellent personal reputation and integrity as well as professional achievements with a positive impact on society.
On October 19, JAPOLAC, Dr. Ritter Diaz, Representative Director, together with Mr. Hirokazu Yamaguchi, Managing Director, Mr. Ricardo Gonzalez, Commercial Director, and Mr. Ajoy Shinha Roy, Senior Director of the Association, visited Nagai Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. in Gunma Prefecture to learn about Mizubasho Pure, one of the top sparkling sakes of Japan.
Dr. Diaz was received by Mr. Noriyoshi Nagai, President and CEO of Nagai Sake Brewery Co., who guided Dr. Diaz and other directors to a small creek where the water is obtained to make sake. At the creek, Directors of JAPOLAC drank water directly from the stream, feeling the great taste of natural water. After that, Mr. Nagai made a presentation and tasting of different sakes produced at the brewery.
During the presentation, Dr. Diaz was very impressed by the high quality and exquisite flavor of Nagai sake, which has a great potential to capture the taste of Latin American people.
Dr. Diaz expressed his appreciation for the hospitality of Mr. Nagai and conveyed his interest of promoting sake in Latin America and the Caribbean countries through the network of the Association. Dr. Diaz mentioned that Japanese people greatly appreciates beverages from Latin America such as rum and coffee, therefore, it would be a good gesture of reciprocity to introduce fine sparkling sake to our region
Mr. Nagai also serves as the representative director of the Sparkling Sake (Awa Sake) Association and is engaged in activities to disseminate sake in the world.
One of the objectives of JAPOLAC is the promotion of small and medium companies from Japan and Latin America and the Caribbean to introduce their products in the market of the other.
