Japanese Ambassador Kitagawa Katsuro recently made a four-day official visit to Cebu Province.
Part of Ambassador Kitagawa’s trip included a meeting and exchanging of views with the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Cebu Inc. (JCCICI), Japanese Association Cebu, and the Japanese Association of Travel Industries in Cebu.
The meeting covered issues such as procedures for Alien Employment Permit (AEP) and visa issuance, water shortages, high electricity rates and unstable power supply, and the sluggish recovery in the number of Japanese tourists. The ambassador was also briefed on the various activities of the local Japanese community.
Kitagawa also paid a courtesy call on Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Secretary Philip Lo with whom he conveyed the concerns of Japanese residents and businesses in Cebu, and requested his support in addressing these challenges.
For his part, Secretary Lo expressed his readiness to assist, particularly in resolving the issue of delays in processing AEP.
Furthermore, Kitagawa visited one of the largest English language schools in the Philippines, QQ English, followed by a visit to Tsuneishi Heavy Industries (Cebu) Inc. He toured both facilities and was briefed on their respective business operations.
