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JICA Uganda in collaboration with Makerere University's College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) and the Embassy of Japan hosted the JICA Chair from 22nd to 25th of March, 2022 at Makerere University.

The JICA Chair/ JICA Program for Japanese Studies has been rolled out in universities in more than 40 countries including Brazil, Indonesia, Kenya and South Africa; through the program, students can explore the opportunity to study about Japan's modernization and development cooperation experiences in light of its historical and cultural background.

The 4-day, colourful event doubled as a celebration as Makerere University marks 100 years, and 60 years of diplomatic bilateral relations of Uganda and Japan, besides the opportunity to bring students up to speed with Japan's History and experience that shaped its foreign policy.

In the course of the event, the Senior Representative Mr. Fukuhara Ichiro handed over to Makerere University 10 digital video discs titled ‘Seven Chapters on Japanese modernisation' and 43 valuable Japanese books translated into English. These reference materials show-case the history of Japan and other fields of education, politics, and economics.

The JICA Chair at Makerere had interesting highlights including a lecture by Dr. Andrea Pressello, an Associate Professor from National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), on the ‘Post World War II Japanese Foreign Policy: Through the lens of Japan's Diplomacy Towards Southeast Asia' highlighting Japan's history after 1945 from the perspective of Japan's foreign policy and diplomacy, which attracted a series of questions from the students. This was followed by comments and remarks from University Lecturers including Dr. Charlotte Karungi Mafumbo, Ag. Head, Department of History, Archaeology and Heritage Studies, and others.

Day 2-3

There was a cocktail of events including a lecture on 'Uganda-Japan Bilateral Relations' with special focus on Higher Education since 1962' by Dr. Charlotte Karungi Mafumbo.

Mr. Muhame Ivan, the Senior Program Officer at JICA Uganda Office highlighted JICA's Cooperation in Uganda, while the team from the Embassy of Japan in Uganda enlightening students on the study opportunities in Japan, with hinting that currently, there are 65 Ugandan students in universities in Japan and encouraged more students to apply in order to increase the numbers.

Dr. Pressello exchanged views with Master and PhD students and the lecturers of CHUSS (College of Humanities and Social Sciences) at Makerere University regarding Japan's history, modernization and diplomacy. The students were so excited and asked a wide range of questions to Dr. Pressello during the discussion. For instance, they asked about the transformation of political regimes from Edo to Meiji era and past and current Japanese diplomatic policies.

Day 4

On the last day of JICA Chair and Japan Week, Mr. Fukuhara handed over to the University a variety of Japanese books including a valuable book entitled "The Iwakura Embassy, 1871-73" in order to promote Japanese studies at the University. These books will be available at the Japanese Corner of the University's main library and encourage the students to enrich their understanding of Japan.