The South Africa-Japan Forum ~An Exploratory Meeting~ was held on May 14 and 15 at the Hiroshima University Faculty Club. The forum provided an opportunity for South African and Japanese universities to exchange ideas and the overall goal was for improved mutual understanding. There were a total for 34 universities participating, in addition to the South African Ambassador, Dr. Ben Ngubane.

Professor Shinichi Yamamoto, Head of the Research Institute for Higher Education (RiHE), gave a keynote speech on the topic of "Higher Education in Japan," followed by representatives from each university introducing their schools, and exchanging opinions on future cooperative research fields and institutionalization of the forum.

Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Durban University of Technology, North-West University, Rhodes University, Tshwane University of Technology, Vaal University of Technology, University of Cape Town, University of Fort Hare, University of Johannesburg, University of KwaZulu Natal, University of Pretoria, UNISA, Stellenbosch University, University of the Free State, University of the Western Cape, University of the Witwatersrand.

Hokkaido University, Keio University, Kyushu University, Nagasaki University, Naruto University of Education, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Ristumeikan University, Ryukoku University, Tohoku University, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Tsuda College, University of Toyama, Waseda University, Yamagata University, Hiroshima University.

The meeting ended with the decision to continue organizing the South Africa-Japan University Vice-President's Forum and hold the second meeting in Capetown, South Africa. Moreover, a decision was made to give the University of Capetown, Keio University, Tohoku University, and Hiroshima University a more central role to fulfill in holding the next meeting. Currently, joint research has been planned in many different fields, such as electrical engineering, manufacturing, astronomy, science and mathematics, oceanography, agriculture, etc.

The Second Forum is planned to be held around May 2008. As proposed by His Excellency Dr. BS Ngubane, and with the cooperation of the South Africa University Association, the forum aims to gather together the Vice Presidents and Researchers of both Japanese and South African universities to exchange opinions on how to proceed with joint research and support to encourage cooperative research based on the deliberations between each university.

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