Japanese Consul to Discuss Power of Language

From Tokyo to Detroit to Cincinnati, the message is clear: Learning Japanese can take you far in today’s global marketplace.

That’s the lesson Kuninori Matsuda, consul general of Japan in Detroit, will present during his talk, “The Importance of Learning Japanese in Greater Cincinnati and Ohio,” from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. May 3 in the Engineering Research Center Auditorium, Room 427. Matsuda will explore the benefits of being proficient in the Japanese language and discuss the varied opportunities for Japanese language speakers here in Ohio.

The McMicken College of Arts & Sciences offers a

Japanese Language and Culture Certificate

, which teaches students language fluency as well as various cultural aspects – such as history, art and film – of one of the world’s most influential nations.

Matsuda joined Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs after graduating from Tokyo University in 1982. He has since worked as director of overseas public relations, director of Russian affairs and minister at the Embassy of Japan in Israel. He began as consul general of Detroit in August 2010.

The consulate was formed in 1993 in response to the increasing number of Japanese residents and businesses in Michigan and Ohio. The consulate supports these residents and promotes trade and business development between Japan and the U.S. Statistics on the consulate’s website show that:

- Nearly 400 Ohio businesses are wholly or partially Japanese owned.

- There are more than 17,000 Japanese citizens residing in Ohio and Michigan.

- Approximately 2,250 university students in Ohio were enrolled in Japanese classes in fall 2011.

For more information on the consulate, go to its

website

.