Charles, a student of University of Ghana who stayed in Japan as an exchange student last spring, took part in the 23rd Japanese Speech Contest held on March 16, 2019. The contest was organized by Embassy of Japan in Ghana, Ghana Alumni of Japanese Universities, and Ghana Association of Japanese Language Teachers. The theme of the Contest was "What I'll do when I vist Japan", and he was under the category of "persons more than 18 years who have not been to Japan before or been in Japan for less than 6 months". Charles talked about "What I will do on my next visit to Japan" and got 2nd prize in the category where he had 14 competitors. In the presentation, he explained why made him want to study in Japan and what he experienced in Japan. Charles is studying Japanese every day at NOGUCHI. His Japanese is so beautiful and sounds like Japanese is speaking. We can see that he studies Japanese very hard. Charles will graduate from the University this summer, and he planes to enter a graduate school in Japan after he does his national service for a year. It is a great pleasure for us that Charles, the first exchange student from Africa whom we support to study in Japan, keeps on making his effort to improve his Japanese after he went back to Ghana, and has a plan to come back to Japan and continue his study here. Charles, Gambatte!

◆Publisher: African Studies Center - Tokyo University of Foreign Studies ◆Date of Publication: March 8, 2019 ◆Title of the Book: ASC-TUFS Working Papers 2018 "Development, Migration, and Resources in Africa" ◆Editors: Hitomi Kirikoshi, Yasuo Matsunami, and Shinichi Takeuchi ◆Contents:Foreword by Hitomi Kirikoshi, Yasuo Matsunami, and Shinichi Takeuchi Part I: Development and Migration New African debts and natural-resource dependence by Kazue Demachi Multilateral migration governance in SADC countries by Yumi Nakayama Migrants' participation in cocoa production: Trust building among multi-ethnic groups in West Africa by Hitomi Kirikoshi Part II: Resource Management and Political Power Land and power in Africa: The effects of recent land reforms by Shinichi Takeuchi Land governance in Africa: The state, traditional authorities and the control of customary land by Horman Chitonge Land tenure reform in South Africa: Traditional leadership, CLaRA, and 'living' customary law by Chizuko Sato Implementation of land law and political dynamics in Mozambique: The state and rural communities under virtual recentralization by Akiyo Aminaka Environmental justice and women empowerment in the protected areas of Nyungwe National Park: Case of women handcrafts cooperative by Gloriose Umuziranenge Navigating through the tides of a corrupt state: Youths engagement with SMEs and ICT in rural Kenya by Kinyua Laban Kithinji Identification of main Non-Timber Forest Products and related stakeholders in its value chain in the Gribe village of southeastern Cameroon by Marlène Ngansop T., Denis J. Sonwa, Evariste Fongnzossie F., Biyé Elvire H., Forbi Preasious F., Takanori Oishi, and Nkogmeneck Bernard-Aloys Mapping/assessing carbon stocks in the perspective of Payment for Environmental Services (PES) for rural communities in East Cameroon by Annie Laure Ongsabien Efombo, Denis J. Sonwa, Anne Marie Tiani,Bobo Kadiri Serge, Richard Sufo Kandeu, and Chia Eugene Loh *You can download the PDF version of the whole chapters by clicking the title of the book. You can also download the PDF version of each paper by clicking a title of each paper.

Nancy, a master course student of University of Ghana, sent us a report on her life in Japan. She is a master course student of University of Ghana, and studied at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS) as an exchange student during fall semester of 2018. Toyota Ghana provided her a roundtrip air ticket. She took classes of Peace and Conflict Studies (PCS) program, and also learned Japanese through Japanese learning program provided by PCS. Since PCS program often require students a lot of assignments and reading, she seemed to be very busy. However, she always tried to find time to come to our center, at least once a week, and let us know how she was doing. She cooked Ghanian cuisine for us once (it was so delicious!). She hasn't decided where to complete her PhD course, but she told us that she's also thinking to come back to Japan. We hope she can choose the best way to gratify her interests. Besides, we look forward to seeing her as a scholar in the near future and collaborate in some research project. Here is her report. the farewell party at the end of January 2019. (From left) Nancy, Shukulu from Rwanda, Dr. Makiko Sakai, and Dr. Paleker from South Africa On September 25, 2018, I arrived in Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS) based in Japan to participate in a student exchange program for the fall academic semester. After a week of orientation and introduction, the program commenced fully. During this period of the exchange program, I was opportune to be attached to the graduate program of Global Studies and International Relations (Peace and Conflict Studies). As an affiliate of the Peace and Conflict Studies (PCS) department of TUFS, I partook in seven (7) courses both core and elective courses such as Research Methodology in Peace and Conflict Studies, Core Seminar Program, Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods, Africa Public Policy, African History on Genocide, Global Campus Program, and Africa in Global Politics. Also, at the PCS department, I participated in the Japanese language proficiency class organized twice weekly for all international students in the department.Also, while there, I engaged in extracurricular activities organized by the Student exchange division for participating international students to socialize and learn some basic Japanese culture. Very prominent of them was the 1 week cultural festival designed for foreign students. More so, I attended the seminars fronted by the African Studies Centre in TUFS, two of which were held outside of TUFS campus. The first was held in Sophia University and the second was in Kyoto University. Although the entire program was comprehensive and challenging, all experiences have been worth it. As such, that moment come across as a golden opportunity and coming from Africa and Ghana precisely, with a different cultural background, I cannot deny that the exposure has shaped my perspective of life and my academic capabilities equally enhanced. I would also like to express gratitude to all who contributed to the success of this feet. First of all, I would like to express an immeasurable appreciation to the Centre Asian Studies (CAS), University of Ghana, headed by Dr. Lloyd Adu Amoah for the guidance and granting me the opportunity to represent University of Ghana in TUFS. Again, to Toyota Ghana, your intervention to support my movement to and fro Japan is one that cannot be underestimated and thus appreciate very much. Another thanks goes to the TUFS and African Studies Center -TUFS under the auspices of Prof. Shinichi Takeuchi for the role played throughout my stay in TUFS and Japan as a whole. Lastly, I would want to thank the Department Political Science Faculty and the University of Ghana Student Exchange Division.

Dr. Benjamin Amoah, who stayed in Japan from January 27, 2019 to February 11, 2019 as a special visiting lecturer of ASC-TUFS, wrote his essay about his experience in Japan. During his short stay, he gave lectures for undergraduate students of TUFS as a winter intensive course, and at two seminars, one at TUFS and the other at Kyoto University. It was a great opportunity for us to welcome him because we could strengthen our network as Africanists, and also he gave students new perspectives on their studies. I hope he can come back here soon and stay longer. Here is his essay. I am a Research Collaborator to Dr. Kazue Demachi. The purpose of my visit was to serve as a Foreign Researcher and Guest lecturer of Development Finance in the winter intensive seminar. My trip was sponsored by the African Studies Center (ASC) of Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS). I arrived at Haneda Airport late night to a welcoming cool breeze in the month of January, as a first timer is Japan coming from the tropical region of the world. The cold weather implied was my first experience, nonetheless the nice limousine drive from the airport to my arrival hotel at Mikata where I had a good night sleep relaxed me to the wonderful period I stayed in Japan. The following day I had to go through arrival official formalities at African Studies Center (ASC), this was really quick as everything had been arranged awaiting my arrival and confirmation. In no time all I needed to function as a guest lecturer under the ASC was supplied and I could fit into the system, an indication of Japanese efficiency. Visiting ASC and meet members onJanuary 28, 2019 I started my development finance winter seminar course with a cross-national group of students. Their background where, two Thais, one Nigerian Britain and three Japanese students. These students were eager to learn and exchange ideas during the lectures, the only difference between the Japanese students and the others that I taught was the English language which tend to slow Japanese students response that notwithstanding, they were smart, intelligent, eager to learn and easily adapted to my lecturing style. Three-Day Intensive Course from January 30, 2019 to February 1, 2019 I had two public lectures, the first one "The Truth behind Self-Assessed Financial Literacy and Retirement Planning" was under the auspices of the African Studies Center and chaired by Professor Shinichi Takeuchi, this was well attended with useful feedback and contribution from the attendees. The second seminar on my paper titled "The Financial Literacy-Retirement Planning Nexus; any role for Behavioral Finance?" was at Kyoto University where I also received useful contributions from attendees. Giving a presentation at the 31st ASC Seminar on February 5, 2019 Giving a presentation at Kyoto University on February 6, 2019 One thing that also struck me was the fact that Japanese hold dearly onto their culture and history, this was very vivid when I visited one of the UNSECO heritage sites the Kiyomizu Temple. This is an imposing prefabricated temple with nice garden. This temple is a blend of Japanese architecture and Buddhist touch. The visit to Sanjusangendo Temple also called Hall of the Lotus King also provided great insight into Japanese believes and history. The compound of this temple severed as the place for the popular archery tournament. For lovers of art, the Kyoto National Museum is a good place to visit, one must be prepare to spend to whole day at this museum which is well stocked with arts works dating back into time. This museum gives a good history between Japan and China and tells a lot about interaction and the cultural exchange that has taken place between these two nations over time. The visit to the Kyoto Railway Museum located at Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan is one great experience I also had during my stay in Japan, this museum provide a true picture of the train system in Kyoto which is the old capital of Japan and by extension the railway system in Tokyo. The generations of train in Japan is presented in this museum not to forget the Roundhouse that exist in this museum. There is also a miniature railway simulation room which shows the entire train and railway network, a master piece of artwork and technology. This miniature rail system provides an overview of the train transportation infrastructure and linkages, a good place to visit any time. Visiting Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto on February 6, 2019 The journey from Tokyo and Kyoto which is about 430 km was by bullet train or the Shinkansen Nozomi roughly 2 hours journey. The Shinkansen represents one of the great Japanese contribution to the world by in the area of transportation. Whiles Kyoto and Tokyo has a lot in common it is visible that Tokyo is cosmopolitan whiles Kyoto has more to do with the tradition of Japan. The transportation system is predominantly train in Tokyo whiles for Kyoto it is more of taxis and bus. The architecture of the two cities are also different, there is a lot of cultural and religious touch to the buildings in Kyoto compared to Tokyo. The Shinkansen train journey is a "wanna try" and also the Tokyo "train traffic rush hour" experience I personally recommend to all who would travel to Japan. There is a lot of food delicacies to choose from in Japan, I personally liked the curry rice, bread and soup. All too soon my time of stay in Japan came to an end, my travel from Kichijoji Station to Narita Airport using the limousine bus gave me another opportunity to see the beautiful Tokyo, a mixture of efficiency in land usage, modernity and macro level acceptance of technology in service and product delivery. In conclusion, my stay in Japan showed me that Japanese are humble but not timid, orderly, efficient, proud of their culture and history. Furthermore most of Japanese infrastructure is based on advance technology at the institutional level, however at the retail level most economic transactions are conducted on cash basis. My visit to Japan was an exciting one and would be glad to go back.