Dr. Ritter Diaz, the Representative Director of the Japan Association for the Promotion of Latin America and the Caribbean (JAPOLAC), recently paid a courtesy visit to His Excellency Manuel Roldan, the new Ambassador of the Republic of Guatemala.

During the meeting, Dr. Diaz provided Ambassador Roldan with an overview of JAPOLAC’s objectives and ongoing activities, underscoring the significance of fostering practical exchanges between Japan and the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Ambassador Roldan warmly welcomed the visit and expressed his gratitude for the introduction to the Association. He further elaborated on the objectives of his diplomatic mission, emphasizing the important goal of strengthening relations between Guatemala and Japan. Notably, he seeks to foster cooperation from Japan in key sectors such as public transportation and anti-seismic technologies.

Among JAPOLAC’s core objectives is the support for the endeavours of Latin American and Caribbean embassies (LAC) in Japan, aimed at enhancing the awareness of LAC culture throughout Japan.

Accompanying Dr. Diaz were senior directors of JAPOLAC, Mr. Ajoy Sinha Roy and Mr. Neil Butler.

Dr. Ritter Diaz, Representative Director of the Japan Association for Promotion of Latin America and the Caribbean (JAPOLAC), paid a courtesy visit to His Excellency Harold Burgos, Ambassador of the Republic of Honduras.

During the meeting, Dr. Diaz provided Ambassador Burgos with an overview of JAPOLAC’s objectives and activities, emphasizing the importance of practical exchanges between Japan and the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. Specifically, they discussed collaborations in education, cultural promotion, and facilitating business opportunities for small and medium-sized companies.

Dr. Diaz extended an invitation to the Embassy of Honduras to become an honorary member of JAPOLAC, aiming to enhance awareness of the Republic of Honduras in Japan.

Ambassador Burgos expressed his appreciation for the visit and the introduction to the Association, demonstrating keen interest in JAPOLAC’s activities. He mentioned his intention to consult with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Honduras to explore potential avenues of collaboration with the Association.

Accompanying Dr. Diaz were senior directors of JAPOLAC, Mr. Ajoy Sinha Roy and Mr. Neil Butler.

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.

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.

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.