Dr. Ritter Diaz, Representative Director of the Japan Association for the Promotion of Latin America and the Caribbean (JAPOLAC), together with Mr. Fredy Armijos, President of the Ecuadorian Association in Japan, held a working meeting with His Excellency Mr. César Montaño, Ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador to Japan, and members of his diplomatic team.

The meeting provided an opportunity to review the progress of preparations for the First Ecuadorian Cultural Festival, scheduled to take place on June 7, 2025, at Port City Takeshiba. This important cultural event aims to highlight Ecuador’s rich and diverse heritage, while fostering deeper mutual understanding and friendship between Ecuador and Japan.

In addition, Dr. Diaz and Ambassador Montaño exchanged views on the upcoming lecture on Ecuador, which the Ambassador will deliver at Chiba University later this month. This initiative forms part of a series of lectures initiated by JAPOLAC in 2025 to promote greater awareness of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) among Japanese university students and to strengthen collaboration between diplomatic missions and academic institutions.

JAPOLAC reaffirms its commitment to supporting the work of Latin American and Caribbean embassies accredited in Japan and remains dedicated to advancing initiatives that enhance cultural and academic ties between the LAC region and Japan.

Dr. Ritter Diaz, Representative Director of the Japan Association for the Promotion of Latin America and the Caribbean (JAPOLAC), paid a courtesy visit to Her Excellency Ms. Sussi Jiménez Núñez, the newly appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Costa Rica to Japan.

During the meeting, Dr. Diaz provided Her Excellency with an overview of JAPOLAC’s mission and current activities, underscoring the Association’s commitment to fostering practical and mutually beneficial exchanges between Japan and the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. Dr. Diaz also conveyed JAPOLAC’s full willingness to collaborate with the Embassy of Costa Rica in support of Ambassador Jiménez’s diplomatic endeavours in Japan.

Ambassador Jiménez warmly welcomed the visit and expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to learn more about JAPOLAC and its role in promoting ties between Japan and the region of Latin America and the Caribbean. She shared the key objectives of her diplomatic mission, emphasizing her commitment to deepening the longstanding friendship and cooperation between Costa Rica and Japan across various areas of mutual interest.

With this visit, JAPOLAC reiterates its commitment to supporting the work of Latin American and Caribbean embassies accredited in Japan, particularly in efforts to raise greater awareness of the region’s rich cultural heritage and contributions within Japanese society.

Dr. Diaz was accompanied by senior directors of JAPOLAC, namely Mr. Ajoy Sinha Roy, Mr. Neil Butler, and Mr. Fredy Armijos, who oversees the Association’s business promotion initiatives.

JAPOLAC hosted a farewell dinner in honor of His Excellency Robert Takata, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to Japan, in recognition of his friendship and steadfast support of the association’s activities.

During his tenure, Ambassador Takata actively supported various JAPOLAC initiatives, including “Rhythms of the Caribbean: The Magic of the Dominican Republic,” an event dedicated to showcasing the rich cultural heritage of his country.

Additionally, under the leadership of Ambassador Takata, JAPOLAC coordinated a special tasting event featuring an iconic Dominican dish in collaboration with Kura Sushi, as part of the promotional activities for Expo Osaka 2025. This initiative not only highlighted the Dominican Republic’s culinary tradition but also contributed to greater cultural awareness among the Japanese public.

At the dinner, Dr. Ritter Diaz, Representative Director of JAPOLAC, expressed his deep appreciation to Ambassador Takata for his unwavering support of JAPOLAC’s activities. In turn, Mr. Ajoy Sinha Roy, Senior Director of JAPOLAC, offered a heartfelt toast, wishing Ambassador Takata continued success in his forthcoming diplomatic endeavors.

The dinner counted on the distinguished presence of His Excellency the Ambassador of Peru, as well as JAPOLAC directors and their spouses, who gathered to celebrate Ambassador Takata’s contributions to fostering closer ties between Japan and the Dominican Republic.

In essence, this farewell dinner served as a heartfelt expression of JAPOLAC’s profound gratitude for Ambassador Takata’s commitment to support the work of the association to increase the visibility of the Latin America and Caribbean region in Japan.

Dr. Ritter Diaz, Representative Director of JAPOLAC, attended FOODEX JAPAN 2025 to connect with representatives from Latin American and Caribbean companies seeking to introduce their products to the Japanese market.

During the event, Dr. Diaz met and exchanged views with the representative from the Trade Promotion Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER), which was responsible for the Costa Rica’s exhibition booth. He also visited several exhibition booths from Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Guatemala to explore the product offerings from the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region.

One of JAPOLAC’s primary objectives is to facilitate trade between Japan and the LAC countries, with a special focus on promoting small and medium-sized enterprises. In this regard, JAPOLAC identifies, analyzes, and recommends products from the region that are well-suited for the Japanese market.

Dr. Diaz was accompanied by Mr. Fredy Armijos, President of Stellarize Inc. and a JAPOLAC member responsible for business promotion.

FOODEX JAPAN, the country’s largest food fair, took place from March 11 to 14, 2025.

Dr. Ritter Díaz, Representative Director of the Japan Association for Promotion of Latin America and the Caribbean (JAPOLAC), participated in the “IDB for the Americas: Business Opportunities for Japanese Companies in the LAC Market” seminar, organized by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance of Japan.
This high-level event brought together senior government officials, financial experts, and business leaders to analyze investment opportunities in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and to strengthen economic cooperation between Japan and the region.

During the seminar, Dr. Díaz expressed his sincere appreciation to Mr. Taro Seriu, Representative of the IDB Office in Tokyo, for the kind invitation and for IDB’s continued efforts to enhance Japanese investment in the LAC region. He also reaffirmed JAPOLAC’s commitment to supporting initiatives that foster sustainable economic growth and promote mutually beneficial partnerships between Japan and LAC countries.
The seminar featured a keynote speech by IDB President Ilan Goldfajn, who presented a detailed analysis of economic trends, key growth sectors, and strategic investment opportunities available for Japanese businesses in the LAC market.

Additionally, Mr. James Scriven, CEO of IDB Invest, introduced IDB Invest’s innovative business model, highlighting financing mechanisms designed to strengthen private sector engagement in the region. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) also contributed to the discussion, emphasizing its role in enhancing LAC-Japan relations and supporting Japanese enterprises through investment and financing programs.

One of the main objectives of JAPOLAC is to promote trade exchanges between small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Japan and Latin America and the Caribbean, facilitating economic expansion and sustainable business cooperation between both regions.