A new class on U.S. - Japanese business relations is being offered this winter term in the Wayne State University School of Business Administration. Available for undergraduate credit (BA 4990), graduate credit (BA 7995) or no credit, the course will be offered Tuesdays from 6 to 8:45 p.m. beginning in February.

Course instructor Christine Miller emphasizes that the class is for students in a much broader sense than undergraduate/graduate categories imply.

"Opening such a class to Wayne students is great but we've got to open the class to the business community because they bring another perspective that adds to the richness and diversity of the educational experience," she said.

The class will be organized around eight guest speakers: Naoto Amaki, consul general of Japan; Wayne Booker, vice chairman of Ford Motor Co.; Yukio Matsuyama, author of Beef Steak and Chawanmushi: Let's Broaden our Cultures; Joseph McCarthy, vice president, general counsel and secretary of Lear Corp.; G. Mustafa Mohatarem, chief economist with General Motors; Mitsunobu Takeuchi, president and chief executive officer of DENSO International America; Joseph Nathan, president and chief executive officer of Compuware; and Yoshimasu Terachi, partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers .

"Japan is the second-largest economy in the world," Miller said. "People understand that the current information about the Japanese economy is important, but many don't understand why. Here is an opportunity to hear about business issues literally as they unfold."

Students who want to enroll for credit should call the School of Business Administration's Office of Student Services at (313) 577-4505. People who are interested in the lectures and interaction, but not the credit, should call the school's Professional Development Division at (313) 577-4353.