Philippine Consul General Celeste Vinzon Balatbat presented a Philippine Quincentinnial Promotional Basket, containing Philippine chocolate and rum, to Chukeiren Chairman Akihisa Mizuno
NAGOYA, JAPAN, 17 December 2021 – The Philippine Consulate General in Nagoya and the Central Japan Economic Federation (Chukeiren) have agreed to cooperate on matters relating to trade and investment, including the mobility of business missions in the Philippines and on visits to Japanese companies in the Chubu Region.
During the courtesy call on Chukeiren officials on 13 December 2021, Philippine Consul General Celeste Vinzon Balatbat said the Consulate General in Nagoya would be able to guide and advise Chukeiren members in securing their Philippine visa and completing the entry requirements for travel to the Philippines.
Mr. Akihisa Mizuno, Chairman of Chukeiren, offered to help coordinate site visits of the Consulate officials to Japanese Companies in Central Japan, which serves as the country’s industrial hub.
Japanese companies, particularly in the Chubu Region, were actively expanding their investments in the Philippines (e.g. Ibiden Co., Ltd, Brother Industries and Yokosaida Co., Ltd.)
The Philippine Consulate General identified Philippine interests in key sectors with strong complementation with the Chubu Region: electronic devices, semiconductors, automobile and aerospace parts manufacturing, agribusiness, food processing, games/software development, and animation industries.
The Consul General also expressed her appreciation to the Chukeiren for its continued support for the expansion of trade and investment between the Philippines and the Chubu Region, and supporting the initiatives by Team Philippines in Japan, such as the Virtual Economic Briefing (VEB): “SDGS – A Philippine-Japan Partnership”, which was spearheaded by the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo on 24 November 2021.
Established in April 1951, the Chukeiren, is a comprehensive economic organization covering a wide area including five prefectures in Central Japan including Nagano, Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi, and Mie.
The Chukeiren conducts surveys and studies on social and economic issues inside and outside Central Japan, compiles opinions of businesses in the area, submits recommendations, and engages in various activities to achieve goals.
It focuses on three key issues: (1) Bringing into reality the wide-area cooperation among industry, academia, and government within and between each of the five prefectures of Central Japan; (2) Building innovation ecosystems based on the Nagoya’s Innovator’s Garage; and (3) Opening the second runway at the Chubu International Airport. It also intends to build stronger foundations for the future of the region by vitalizing communities with diverse human resources, energizing local industries by supporting SMES and tourism, and promoting corporations’ disaster prevention and mitigation efforts.
Consul General Balatbat was accompanied by Consul Fernando V. Beup, Jr. and Cultural Officer Ava Elsa B. Arcilla. Chairman Mizuno was joined by Chukeiren Managing Director Mr. Daisuke Kurihara, Managing Director and Secretary-General Mr. Takehito Hiramatsu, and General Manager for International Affairs Division Mr. Kazuki Nomura. END
