Consul General Roy B. Ecraela called on Nagano Governor Shuichi Abe on 15 November 2023 as part of the initiatives of the Consulate General of the Philippines in Nagoya to strengthen links with Nagano Prefecture. Nagano is host to more than 5,000 Filipino nationals, many of whom have become residents of Japan.

The visit was the first to be undertaken by him to the prefecture, with an itinerary that also included a meeting with the Filipino Community leaders and a visit to Nagano’s heritage sights and agricultural regions.

During the call, the Consul General thanked Governor Abe and the people of Nagano for looking after the welfare of Filipino nationals working and living in the prefecture.

Nagano Governor Abe expressed appreciation for Consul General Ecraela’s visit. He cited the positive contribution of Filipinos to Nagano society and conveyed the efforts of the Prefectural Government to make the life of foreign visitors and residents in Nagano as comfortable and as pleasant as possible. The Governor also underscored Nagano’s achievement in increasing its population’s life expectancies, with women achieving an average lifespan of 87.675 and men an average lifespan of 81.75, the highest and second highest in Japan, respectively.

Both sides discussed matters relating to labor, tourism, culture, and trade and industry, and expressed their desire to explore cooperative ways to advance mutually beneficial initiatives.