Courtesy Call from Ms. Shino Manabe, Japan Outreach Initiative (JOI) Coordinator (October 27, 2025)

On October 27th, Consul-General Okajima received a courtesy visit from Ms. Shino Manabe, a Japan Outreach Initiative (JOI) Coordinator who has recently been posted to Utah State University in Logan, Utah.

The JOI Program is a joint initiative of the Japan Foundation and Laurasian Institution, a non-profit organization in the United States. JOI brings volunteer Japanese coordinators to regions in the United States where Japanese culture has been less accessible, sharing Japanese culture through hands-on activities, workshops, and events.

Consul-General Okajima welcomed Ms. Manabe to Utah and wished her success with her JOI coordinator responsibilities. As the first JOI representative in the Beehive State, Ms. Manabe hopes to meet many locals in and beyond Logan and to foster intercultural exchange through her work.