22 September 2022 - Consul General Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat, accompanied by Vice Consul Jericson H. Arceo, visited two prefectures straddled by Mt. Fuji — Yamanashi and Shizuoka — as part of the Consulate’s mission to expand its contacts in Central Japan, and identify areas for bilateral collaboration.
Courtesy Call on the Yamanashi Prefecture Governor
Consul General Balatbat paid a courtesy call on Yamanashi Prefecture Governor Kotaro Nagasaki (left).
The Philippine Consulate General in Nagoya and the Yamanashi Prefecture Government plan to work together in establishing bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, and tourism.
Governor Kotaro Nagasaki proposed the exportation of the Prefecture’s grapes into the Philippine market during Consul General Balatbat’s courtesy call on 15 September 2022.
The Consul General suggested importation of pineapples from the Philippines and offered assistance in coordinating with the Department of Trade and Industry through its Trade Officers in Osaka and Tokyo.
The Governor cited the Prefecture’s use and development of hydrogen fuel cells as a form of renewable energy and source of electricity, and arranged a special briefing for the Consulate team on the Prefecture’s success in harnessing hydrogen energy.
Consul General Balatbat noted Yamanashi’s success in attracting foreign tourists and expressed interest learning from the Prefecture’s tourism promotion efforts to help local governments attract more visitors to Mt. Mayon, the Philippines’ perfect cone.
Courtesy Visit on the Shizuoka Prefecture Governor
Shizuoka Governor Heita Kawakatsu (left) receives a Quincentennial Commemorative basket
containing products from the Philippines from Consul General Balatbat.
During her courtesy visit on Shizuoka Prefecture Governor Heita Kawakatsu on 16 September 2022, Consul General Balatbat acknowledged the Prefecture’s best practices in preparing for and responding to disasters.
She thanked the Governor for the briefings arranged by the prefectural government to see its facilities in the Crisis Management Center and Earthquake Disaster Prevention Center.
Governor Kawakatsu said that the Prefecture was considering offering more jobs to foreigners. Consul General Balatbat highlighted the skills and positive work ethic of Filipino workers.
The two parties discussed the Prefecture’s industrial companies with factories in the Philippines, agricultural products being successfully grown in Shizuoka, and the prefecture’s efforts to promote the blue economy through the Marine Open Innovation Institute (MaOI).
The Consul General offered to coordinate with the City of Dagupan, Pangasinan on the status of the sister city relations with Iwata City, Shizuoka.
Visit to the Shizuoka Prefecture Crisis Management Center
Clockwise from top-left: (1) Mr. Yoshihiko Ishino, General Manager (left) toured the Consulate team to
the Shizuoka Prefecture Crisis Management Center; (2) Mr. Nobuyuki Sato, Manager (center) welcomed the Consulate Team to the Shizuoka Prefecture Earthquake Disaster Prevention Center; (3) The Consulate team met with (from left to right) Mr. Suguru Hasegawa, General Manager, Mr. Hisao Kato, Coordinator and Mr. Yoshimoto Saito, Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow of the Maritime Open Initiative Institute (MaOI) in Shizuoka.
At the Prefecture’s Crisis Management Center, the Consulate Team were shown the Prefecture’s state-of-the-art system for monitoring earthquakes and other disasters, updating government authorities on critical infrastructure and disaster sites, and coordinating with various responders.
Visit to the Shizuoka Prefecture Earthquake Disaster Prevention Center
The Consulate Team visited facilities of the Earthquake Disaster Prevention Center, such as the movie gallery showing the history of earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan, murals containing information on earthquake preparedness and post-disaster activities, and an earthquake simulator.
According to Mr. Noboyuki Sato, the Center has been established with the goal of anticipating emergency measures in the event of a big earthquake, raise awareness of disaster prevention, and empower members of local community in earthquake prevention in each area.
Visit to MaOI
MaOI’s officials explained the Institute’s role in establishing connections and networks between the government, academe, industries, financial sectors, and startup companies in the promotion of blue economy.
The Institute, through its facilities, provides R&D technology required for genome sequencing, marine food product development, and medical discovery.
Get-together with the Filipino Community in Shizuoka
The Consulate team joins the Filipino community in Gotemba, Shizuoka for get-together and open dialogue.
Consul General Balatbat and Vice Consul Arceo also attended a get-together with members of the Filipino Community in Gotemba, Shizuoka arranged by Bayanihan Filipino Community President, Mr. Jesse Ruel Lumain and Ms. Marilyn Kaji, Vice President and owner of Jeepney Café and Restobar.
Discussions include information offered by the Consulate as well as queries and concerns of the Filipino Community.
As of 2021, Shizuoka is home to 17,000 Filipinos, who accounts for 17% of foreign residents in the Prefecture.
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