H.E. Mr. Noor Muhammad Jadmani, the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Japan, accompanied by Mr. Iqbal Thaheem from the Honorary Consul General of Pakistan in Osaka visited Kobe University on Nov. 20. He first visited the Graduate School of Agricultural Science for a meeting with Vice President /Director of International Exchange, Dr. NAKAMURA Chiharu; Dean UCHIDA Kazunori; Professor TAKEDA Makio of the Graduate School of Agricultural Science and Assistant Professor TUFAIL Muhammad of the Organization of Advanced Science and Technology, Kobe University.

According to the Ambassador, both the research into agricultural science and the ´safety of food´ are important themes in the national policy of an agrarian nation such as Pakistan. He also explained that although the academic exchange agreements they have concluded so far have been mostly with European countries, such as France and Germany, he would like to expand this to include Japan universities. Vice President NAKAMURA and Dean UCHIDA told the Ambassador of the academic exchange agreement the Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences is preparing to conclude with the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (Pakistan). Both sides found the meeting to be a positive step in the right direction.

Following the meeting, the Ambassador was given a tour of the Graduate School of Agricultural Science. In one of the laboratories, students showed the Ambassador a lettuce cultivation experiment conducted in the growth chamber where the temperature, humidity, light, and carbon dioxide concentration were kept constant. Ambassador Jadmani observed the LED lit lettuce carefully as he listened to the explanation.

At 1pm, the Ambassador conducted a lecture titled, "Japan and Pakistan: Their Relationship" in the Main Conference Room in the Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies. The multi-national audience asked the Ambassador a variety of questions including the support of JICA in Pakistan; the overall effect and cooperation between the Japan and Pakistan; the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan and Pakistan's nuclear problem. After the lecture, the Ambassador expressed his desire to revisit Kobe University again soon.