Havana, July 24 (PL-RHC) --Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Sato highlighted the medical exchange program between Tokyo and Havana during a symposium of Medicine held in Havana.

The diplomat told Prensa Latina that the two nations had common points like the high level of medicine, a high aging population and a low pre and post natal rate, and therefore, sharing experiences and views for the future is very valuable.

The Japanese ambassador said that besides medicine, Cuba and Japan have a long history of exchanges in politics, economy and business, as well as in sports like baseball, judo and other martial arts, music and the academic sector.

Meanwhile, Cuban Ambassador to Tokyo, Marcos Rodriguez, said this symposium to exchange scientific knowledge and experiences will contribute to enrich medical sciences in both countries and achieve a higher wellbeing for their peoples.

The symposium is part of activities in both nations to mark the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first Japanese in Cuba, Samurai Hasekura Tsunenaga, who left Japan in late 1613 for Europe and, after a brief stay in Mexico, he landed in Havana on July 23, 1614.