The attendees of the luncheon, hosted by APIC President Shigeie, included H.E. Ms. Shorna-Kay Richards; current and former Japanese Ambassadors to Jamaica; Mr. Yasushi Noguchi, Director-General, Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau (MoFA); Ms. Mio Kawada, Executive Vice-President, JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization); Mr. Manabu Ohara, Director General, Latin America and the Caribbean Department, JICA; Mr. Mitsuru Kitano, Executive Advisor, Council of Local Authorities for International Relations; and APIC board members. Minister Johnson Smith expressed her appreciation of the cooperation between Jamaica and Japan since establishing diplomatic relations sixty years ago, thanked APIC’s activities including the Future Leaders Program, from which Ambassador Richards herself benefited from visiting Japan before, and explained that she had heard the Hon. Parnel Charles Jr., who had visited Japan as the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries state that his trip to Japan under APIC’s program proved to be very beneficial. The Minister concluded her speech by wishing for the further strengthened cooperation of the Jamaica-Japan partnership. A warm atmosphere ensued where participants enjoyed friendly conversation before taking a group photo to mark the occasion.