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.

Dr. Ritter Díaz, Director Representative of JAPOLAC, participated in the commemoration of the National Day of the Dominican Republic.

During this significant event, Dr. Díaz conveyed his most sincere congratulations to H.E. Robert Takata, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic. In his speech, Ambassador Takata highlighted the excellent bilateral relations between Japan and the Dominican Republic, emphasizing the importance of continuing to strengthen the bonds of cooperation and friendship between both nations.

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 spheres.

One of JAPOLAC’s objectives is to support the work of the embassies of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to strengthen cultural and educational ties between Japan and the countries of the LAC region.

In this regard, last year, JAPOLAC coordinated a tasting event featuring an iconic dish of the Dominican Republic in collaboration with Kura Sushi, as part of the promotional activities for Expo Osaka 2025. This initiative highlighted the rich culinary tradition of the Dominican Republic, contributing to greater awareness of Dominican culture among the Japanese people.

Dr. Díaz was accompanied by Mr. Ajoy Sinha Roy and Mr. Neil Butler, Directors of JAPOLAC, together with their wives.

It is worth noting that the Embassy of the Dominican Republic is an honorary member of JAPOLAC.

Dr. Ritter Díaz, Representative Director of the Japan Association for the Promotion of Latin America and the Caribbean (JAPOLAC), facilitated a meeting between H.E. Walter Cohen, Ambassador of Panama to Japan, and Mr. Seiichiro Eto, former President of the Panama-Japan Parliamentary Friendship League. Held at the Parliament Office Building, the meeting provided an opportunity to establish a direct connection between the Embassy of Panama and the Parliamentary League, with the objective of further strengthening parliamentary diplomacy between both nations.

The Panama-Japan Parliamentary Friendship League plays a pivotal role in fostering dialogue and cooperation between lawmakers from both countries, serving as a platform to advance economic, cultural, and diplomatic collaboration. Through regular exchanges and discussions, the League has contributed to deepening mutual understanding and promoting shared interests between Panama and Japan.

During the meeting, Ambassador Cohen expressed his deep appreciation to Mr. Eto for his unwavering support of the Panama-Japan Parliamentary Friendship League and reiterated Panama’s commitment to strengthening ties between Japanese and Panamanian parliamentarians.
Mr. Eto, who served as President of the League for a period of 10 years, recognized the historic and strong friendship between both nations, reaffirming the League’s dedication to supporting initiatives that strengthen diplomatic and economic cooperation.

Likewise, he committed to coordinating a meeting between the Ambassador of Panama and the newly appointed President of the League in order to continue promoting initiatives that reinforce the strategic partnership between Japan and Panama.

Dr. Ritter Díaz, Representative Director of JAPOLAC and former Ambassador of Panama to Japan, conveyed his gratitude to Mr. Eto for his longstanding commitment to deepening diplomatic ties between the two countries. He also underscored the importance of sustained parliamentary engagement in fostering bilateral cooperation.

The Embassy of Panama is an honorary member of JAPOLAC, and this meeting aligns with JAPOLAC’s broader efforts to support the work of Latin American and Caribbean embassies in Japan to strengthen cooperation through parliamentary diplomacy.