Student conference to focus on Japanese-American relations

The Department of Languages and Cultural Studies in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences will hold a cross-cultural undergraduate student conference on Japanese-American relations from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 10, in the Cone University Center, McKnight Hall.

Conference organizers stated the event is designed to promote deeper, mutual understanding between the people of Japan and the United States and help young people to widen their perspectives regarding their roles in a global environment and enhance their international understanding of Japanese-American relations. Another aim is to increase exchanges between U.S. universities and those in Japan.

Tetsuo Shindo, vice president of Toshiba Logistics America Inc., will be the conference keynote speaker. He has extensive business experience in Japan, the United States and other countries. He will discuss “Cultural Differences in the Business World between the United States and Japan.”

Kazuo Sunaga, consul general of Japan in Atlanta, also will deliver a presentation. Previously, he was director general for international affairs in the Bureau of Defense Policy, in Japan’s Ministry of Defense.

Twenty-three students, along with two chaperones, from Osaka City University will be attending the conference as part of the University’s participation in the Kakehashi Dispatch Program, a youth exchange program promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

This event is open to the public; no registration is required to attend.