Takashi Shinozuka, the consulate-general of Japan in Atlanta, recently visited Valdosta State University in an effort to learn more about its thriving Japanese Language and Culture Program. He met with Dr. Richard A. Carvajal, university president, as well as several faculty members and students, to discuss the role the program plays in expanding Japanese and American relations on campus, in the community, across the United States, and around the world. He referred to VSU as a leader in intercultural exchange in the South Georgia region and beyond. During the Spring 2017 semester, the university was home to approximately 300 international students from more than 40 countries, including Japan.