Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya recently visited Davao City and conducted a lecture series on Japan-Philippines relations at the Holy Cross of Davao College and the Ateneo de Davao University.
Attended by the students and faculty of both educational institutions, the event was part of the celebrations commemorating the 70th Anniversary of Japan-Philippines Friendship this year.
In his lecture, Ambassador Endo talked about Japan and the Philippines’ bilateral relations and ongoing cooperation efforts in the economy, security, and people-to-people exchanges. He also highlighted Japan and the Mindanao region’s longstanding historical ties, which, according to him, continue to remain steadfast today.
At the Holy Cross of Davao College, Madam Endo conducted a Japanese cultural presentation featuring workshops on ikebana.
At the Ateneo de Davao University, the Ambassador and Madam Endo visited a Japanese language class and engaged with students through simple greetings in Japanese and other interactions.
Aside from his lecture series on the first day of his visit, Ambassador Endo also joined the Fellowship Lunch of the Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Program (SSEAYP) Davao Region Chapter alumni. He also paid a courtesy call on Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte to strengthen the close cooperation and partnership between Japan and Davao City. He also met with representatives of Davao’s business community to discuss and leverage shared resources for further economic collaborations.
On the second day, Ambassador Endo met with Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairperson Leo Tereso A. Magno to discuss ongoing development collaborations in the Mindanao region. He also visited Davao City’s Waste-to-Energy (WTE) facility project site, an initiative supported through Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA).
