The head of the Japanese consulate in Portland gave a presentation on Japanese foreign policy in Foster Auditorium Tuesday afternoon.
Consul-General Hiroshi Furusawa was introduced by Vancouver mayor and Clark College alumnus Tim Leavitt. He talked about Japan’s commitment to peaceful coexistence with its Asian neighbors, and emphasized that Article 9 of the Japanese constitution outlaws aggressive war.
“The people of Japan are deeply, profoundly sorry for the pain and suffering caused by the occupation of the Asian mainland during World War II,” Furusawa said. He said the Senkaku and Dokdo islands are “indisputably Japanese,” despite claims to the territory by China and South Korea, respectively.
Former Vancouver mayor and current Clark College Board of Trustees member Royce Pollard described the college’s relationship with the Japanese consulate as “extremely close.”
“We’ve made a real effort to nurture those relationships,” Pollard said. Clark’s positive relationship with the Japanese consulate is evident by the Japanese garden here on campus, built with a $1 million donation from SEH, a Japanese semiconductor manufacturer.
