On April 18, 2022, Dr. Ritter Diaz, Representative Director of JAPOLAC attended the signing ceremony for the renewal of the academic exchange agreement between Panama University and Chiba University.

The academic agreement was signed by Prof. Toshinori Nakayama, President of Chiba University and H.E. Carlos Pere, Ambassador of Panama, in representation of Panama University.

JAPOLAC is working closely with Chiba University to promote academic exchanges with Latin America and Caribbean universities.

The Japanese Association for the Promotion of Latin America and the Caribbean (JAPOLAC) organized an online meeting to exchange views on the online academic offer from the University of Technology, Jamaica, (Utech, Ja.), which was propose to Chiba University. The meeting also served to explore a potential academic exchange agreement between both universities in the future.

Participants from the University of Technology, Jamaica included Dr. Claire Sutherland, Senior Director, International and Institutional Linkages, Office of the President, Dr. Haldane Johnson, Deputy President (Acting), Miss Marion Brown, Vice President and University Registrar, Dr. Kamilah Hylton, Dean, Faculty of Science and Sport and Dr. Jeanette Bartley-Bryan, Associate Vice President, Office of Distance Learning (ODL) & UTech Academy.

Chiba University counted on the participation of Dr. Makoto Watanabe, Vice President for Education, Student and International Affairs, as well as personnel from the International Affairs Office.

Utech, Ja. carried out a general presentation of the university and academic programs, with a view to exploring the academic and research areas of potential interest for Chiba University.

Dr. Watanabe informed that the online offering from Utech, Ja. is under internal consultations and expressed a positive view on the possibility of establishing an academic agreement in the near future.

In addition, H.E. Shorna-Key Richards, Jamaica’s Ambassador to Japan, and her diplomatic team, participated in the meeting, playing an essential coordinating role to make it possible. Ambassador Richards is actively working in the promotion of academic cooperation between Japan and Jamaica.

JAPOLAC counted on the participation of Dr. Ritter Díaz, Representative Director of the Association and Ms. Martha Zelayandía, Honorary Member of JAPOLAC.

One of the objectives of JAPOLAC is the promotion of academic exchanges between Japanese and Latin American and Caribbean universities, as well as the creation of an academic and research network between Japan and LAC.

The Japan Association for Promotion of Latin America and the Caribbean (JAPOLAC) held a meeting with Ryuya-San from “Chanchitos” to explore ways of cooperation to increase the interest of Japanese people in the region of Latin America and the Caribbean through the use of YouTube and social media.

Ryuya-San and other members of “Chanchitos” have visited over 18 countries in LAC and share their tourist spots, food, festivals, language and people through the YouTube channel “Chanchitos.jp” with more than 45,000 subscribers as well as in the Instagram, Twitter and Facebook platforms.

Chanchitos’ main content includes LAC cultures, news, LAC people living in Japan, online Spanish language classes, live-streaming, among others.

Dr. Ritter Diaz, Representative Director of the Japan Association for Promotion of Latin America and the Caribbean (JAPOLAC) held a meeting with H.E. Roberto Seminario, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Peru to explain the objectives and activities of the Association.

Ambassador Seminario expressed the interest of the Peruvian Mission to cooperate with JAPOLAC to raise the visibility of LAC region in Japan.

Dr. Diaz was also accompanied by members of the board of JAPOLAC, namely, Mr. Ajoy Shinha Roy, Senior Director, Mr. Hirokazu Yamaguchi, Managing Director, and Mr. Sergio Utsunomiya, Director

On Friday, March 18, 2022, Dr. Ritter Diaz, Representative Director of JAPOLAC hosted a farewell dinner for H.E. Jaime Barberis, Ambassador of Ecuador, and wife on the occasion of the end of his mission in Japan.

Dr. Diaz expressed his gratitude to Ambassador Barberis for the strong support for the objectives and activities of JAPOLAC since its foundation. The Embassy of Ecuador was one of the first embassies of Latin America and the Caribbean to join JAPOLAC as honorary member.

The dinner also counted on the participation of H.E. Raul Florentin, Ambassador of Paraguay, and wife as well as other distinguished Japanese guests.