Contact: Sammy McDavid
Ryozo Kato, Japan's ambassador to the United States, will visit Mississippi over three days next week as a special guest of the Center for International Security and Strategic Studies at Mississippi State University. He is coming to expand economic and cultural relations between his island nation and Mississippi, especially MSU.
The diplomat and his wife, Hanayo, will arrive in Jackson in the early afternoon of Thursday, May 15. At mid-afternoon, Ambassador Kato and his host, center director Janos Radvanyi, travel to the Woolfolk State Office Building for a meeting with Bob Rohrlack, director of the Mississippi Development Authority, followed by a session in the same location with Gov. Ronnie Musgrove. Masamichi Ishikawa, consul general of Japan in New Orleans, will accompany the ambassador.
At 6:30 p.m., the Katos will be honored during a program at the University Club sponsored by Jackson's Executive Lecture Forum and MSU's Radvanyi Chair in International Security Studies. Following the meal, the ambassador will deliver formal remarks on the topic "Bonds We Treasure: The Japan-U.S. Relationship."
On Friday morning, the 16th, the ambassador joins Donald Trotter, MSU associate vice president for strategic initiatives, Radvanyi, Rohrlack, and others for an 8 a.m. tour of the Nissan automobile production plant nearing completion between Jackson and Canton. Afterwards, the diplomatic party and MSU officials will travel to the Starkville campus.
Following a luncheon, the ambassador begins a tour shortly after 2 p.m. of MSU's centers for Advanced Vehicular Systems and Engineering Research, both located in the Mississippi Research and Technology Park across U.S. Highway 82 from central campus.
A dinner in the home of President and Mrs. Charles Lee will precede a visit to Dudy Noble Field, Polk-DeMent Stadium, where the Katos will be special guests for MSU's 6:30 p.m. Southeastern Conference baseball game with the University of Alabama. To start the game, Ambassador Kato will throw out the first pitch.
The diplomatic couple departs Mississippi on Saturday morning, the 17th.
Ambassador Kato is not involved in any public events while in Mississippi. Members of the news media are invited, however, to join his tours of the Nissan plant and the MSU research centers. Reporters also are welcomed to his Thursday lecture at the University Club.
For additional information, interested news organizations should contact in advance either Rebecca Kirkland or Radvanyi at telephone (662) 325-8406.