"What Are the Prospects for Korea-Japan Exchange?... Chonnam National University Holds Japan Research Forum"

Chonnam National University’s Center for Japanese Culture Studies and the Department of Japanese Language and Literature recently held the 25th Japan Research Forum. Photo by Chonnam National University

Chonnam National University announced on the 11th that the Center for Japanese Studies (Director Kim Jeongrae) and the Department of Japanese Language and Literature recently held the 25th Japanese Studies Forum.

Under the theme "Hearing from the Japanese Ambassador to Korea: The Current State and Prospects of Korea-Japan Exchange and Relationship Improvement," this forum was held in the form of a discussion with Koichi Mizushima, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of Korea, as the invited guest.

During the forum, undergraduate and graduate students from the Department of Japanese Language and Literature at Chonnam National University asked questions on the topic of Korea-Japan exchange and the improvement of bilateral relations, to which the ambassador responded, facilitating an in-depth discussion.

Students from diverse academic backgrounds, including Japanese international students currently enrolled in the undergraduate Business Administration program and the graduate program in Korean Language and Literature, also participated as questioners, leading to a lively debate.

Alongside Ambassador Koichi Mizushima, Kazuhiro Kawase, Director of the Japan Information and Culture Center, attended the event, providing detailed explanations on Korea-Japan cultural exchange and career paths of interest to students studying Japan.

Ambassador Koichi Mizushima, who took office as the 22nd Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of Korea on May 17 last year, has accumulated extensive diplomatic experience at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Born in Kyoto in 1961, he graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo in 1985 and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, serving as Counselor at the Embassy of Japan in the United States and Director of the Second North America Division, among other positions.

This forum served as a meaningful venue to assess the current state of Korea-Japan exchange and relationship improvement and to discuss future prospects, offering valuable insights to students and faculty who had the opportunity to hear directly from a serving Japanese diplomat.

Director Kim Jeongrae stated, "The Japanese Studies Forum operated by the Center for Japanese Studies is open not only to university students but also to the general public," adding, "We look forward to the continued participation of many people interested in Japanese culture, Korea-Japan exchange, and the improvement of bilateral relations."