Japan Prime Minister’s Wife Yuko Kishida visits NCF

April 2, 2024by secretariat in PIJLC-NCF

Last November 4, 2023, the wife of Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Mrs. Yuko Kishida, visited the Nihongo Center Foundation, Inc. (NCF) office in Makati as part of her and the Prime Minister’s two-day visit to the Philippines.

Upon Mrs. Kishida’s arrival at the office, she was greeted and welcomed by Mr. Francis C. Laurel, Chairman of NCF, along with the other NCF officials, Mr. Philip B. Sanvictores, President; and Mr. Kenjiro Ogata, Academic Advisor.

Mrs. Kishida (left) together with the wife of Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa, Mrs. Yuko Koshikawa (right), sat in class with six NCF students taking up Intermediate Level Japanese who conversed with the two in an engaging exchange. Mrs. Kishida wished the students luck in their future pursuits and urged them to continue with their Japanese language education.

She also had a discussion with a few nurse and care worker candidates under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), talking about the candidates’ struggles in their undertaking of nursing and caregiving as well as their aspirations as nurses and care workers, among others. Mrs. Kishida shared her hopes for them saying, “To be able to support the people, nurses and care workers are essential […] I hope you enjoy your life in Japan.” After their Japanese language training, the nurses and care worker candidates intend to work in Japanese medical and care facilities in various parts of Japan.