Test results may be accessed through this link https://www.jlpt-overseas.jp/onlineresults/preinput.do starting January 31, 2025, 9:00 AM.
The Philippines-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee, Inc. (PHILJEC) held its induction ceremony at the Philippines-Japan Friendship Foundation in Makati City on January 16, 2025. The ceremony, led by the esteemed Prime Minister Cesar E.A. Virata marked the official welcoming of new members into PHILJEC and was graced by the presence of H.E. Kazuya Endo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Philippines.
The ceremony celebrated the induction of distinguished companies, each represented by their respective delegates. Among them were Mr. Luis Alberto A. Anastacio of Servicio Filipino, Inc., Atty, Valeriano S. Del Rosario of VERALAW, Ms. Sachie Ogawa of Sachie-Rocio Beaute & Health, Inc., Ms. Marie Leonore V. Olivares-Vital of Ovialand, Inc., Mr. Rommel G. Roque of Manpower Philippines, Mr. Yasunori Takamatsu of MOL Enterprise Philippines Inc., and Ms. Arlene C. Tena of Cebu Air, Inc. As part of the ceremony, the new members were presented with certificates of membership to formalize their inclusion in the organization.
The event was followed by a New Year’s Toast for 2025. PHILJEC Chairman Richard Albert I. Osmond delivered the opening remarks, expressing his enthusiasm for fresh opportunities, milestones, and shared accomplishments in the current year. PHILJEC Co-Chairman Mr. Alfred V. Ty then proposed a toast to new partnerships. The rest of the evening was marked by meaningful conversations and opportunities for collaboration between the new and existing PHILJEC members.
PJLA Members Celebrate the Spirit of Christmas and Birthdays.
In December 2024, the Philippines-Japan Ladies Association (PJLA) gathered at the Philippines-Japan Friendship Center in Legazpi Village, Makati City, to celebrate the joy and love of Christmas. The event brought together members in a warm and festive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and the spirit of giving.
The celebration began with opening prayer from Mrs. Maribel Sanvictores, setting the tone for a meaningful gathering. PJLA President, Dra. Nora Torres, then officially welcomed the members. The event was filled with exciting activities, including lively dancing and fun games, all of which brought smiles and laughter to everyone. A special highlight was the Christmas gift-giving segment, where members exchanged tokens of appreciation, further strengthening their bonds. The event concluded with closing remarks from Mrs. Minnie Alcasid, bringing the celebration in a heartfelt way.
Adding to the joyous occasion was a recognition of birthday celebrants, who were honored with a delightful cake and birthday hats.
Led by Mr. Richard Albert I. Osmond, Chairman of the Philippines-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee, Inc., PHILJEC delegates attended the 50th ASEAN-Japan Business Meeting (AJBM) held at The Okura Prestige in Bangkok, Thailand from November 6 to 8, 2024. This event marked a historic milestone in the partnership between ASEAN member countries and Japan. Under the theme “Building Resilient Partnerships for Sustainable Futures,” the meeting brought together prominent business leaders, and industry experts to engage in meaningful discussions and debates to explore critical issues affecting the region.
November 6 was reserved for the Steering Committee Meeting, and Welcome Reception for the Steering Committee Members which was held at the Hard Rock Café, Bangkok. The evening started with greetings and toast from Mr. Kalin Sarasin, the 50th AJBM Chairman and Honorary Chairman of the Thailand Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand. This was followed by a presentation on “Geopolitical Trends surrounding ASEAN and Japan’s Investment towards ASEAN” by Mr. SHIBATA Soichiro, Director of the Monitor Deloitte.
The conference officially began on November 7, with welcoming remarks from Mr. Sarasin. Subsequent remarks were delivered by Mr. HIRAKO Yuji, 50th AJBM Co-Chairman and Co-Chairperson of Japan-Asia Relations Committee of Keizai Doyukai; Mr. MIKE Kanetsugu, Vice Chairperson of Keizai Doyukai and Member of the Board of Directors, Chairman of MUFG; and H. E. OTAKA Masato, Ambassador of Japan to Thailand.
H. E. Mr. Akanat Promphan, Minister of Industry of Thailand delivered the keynote speech on “Strengthening ASEAN-Japan Cooperation for Economic Stability and Sustainability in the Digital Age.” This was followed by a presentation on “Strategic Partnerships: Exploring ASEAN-Japan Relations in a Dynamic Global Context” by Dr. Somkiat Tangkitvanich, President of Thailand Development Research Institute.
The first panel discussion moderated by Mr. Muhaymin Khan, Manager of YCP focused on Food Security. This panel addressed the urgent need for action to prevent food shortages in ASEAN nations. Panelists included:
- Dr. Poj Aramwattananont, President & CEO, SeaValue Public Company Limited
- Mr. SAKAKURA Ichiro, President, Ajinomoto Thailand
- Mr. Salman Ghazali, Group Chief Strategy Officer, FGV Holdings Berhad
Shortly after the lunch break, the second panel discussion focusing on Tourism commenced. Moderated by Ms. Fei Yong, Manager of YCP, this panel highlighted the role of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles in preserving the tourism value chain. Panelists included:
- Mrs. Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International
- Mr. KITAGAWA Hiroyuki, President & CEO, JTB PTE Ltd.
- Mr. KANDA Shinya, President & CEO of ANA X
- Mr. Joydeep Chakraborty, Chief Strategy Officer, Traveloka
A brief discussion on Food Culture in Tourism followed, led by Associate Professor Jutamas Wisansing, PhD, Managing Director & Consultant at Perfect Link Consulting Group and Mr. Matthew John Knights, Chief Hospitality Group Officer, Asset World Corporation.
The third panel discussion focused on Mobility and was moderated by Mr. Nuttapan Meethong, Director of YCP. The panel addressed the growing challenge of air pollution and its impact on public health and urban living. Panelists included:
- Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok
- Mr. Prasanna Kumar Ganesh, Executive Vice President, Toyota Motor Asia
- Mr. Yew Heng Lim, Group Managing Director, Grab Holdings
Following this, Keizai Doyukai and Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) presented on HR Platform. Speakers for this session are:
- Mr. HIRAKO Yuji, Co-Chairperson, Japan-Asia Relations Committee, Keizai Doyukai and Senior Advisor, ANA Holdings, Inc.
- Mr. AIZAWA Nobuhiro, Dean and Managing Director, ERIA’s School of Government
- Mr. WATANABE Kazufumi, Group CXO, Executive Vice President and Executive Officer, SOMPO Holdings, Inc.
H. E. KIYA Masahiko, Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN served as respondent.
The conference concluded with closing remarks from Mr. IMAI Seiji, Co-Chairperson of Japan-Asia Relations Committee of Keizai Doyukai and Chairman, Member of the Board of Directors of Mizuho Financial Group.
Several Thai and Japanese media were invited to a press conference after the meeting.
Discussions are compiled into a whitepaper which can be accessed through the link below.
Links:
On August 29, 2024, the President of The Japan Foundation, Mr. KUROSAWA Shinya, visited the Nihongo Center Foundation, Inc. (NCF) in Makati City. He was accompanied by Mr. SUZUKI Ben, Country Director of Japan Foundation Manila. Mr. Francis C. Laurel, NCF Chairman, Mr. Philip B. Sanvictores, President, and Mr. Kenjiro Ogata, Academic Advisor welcomed Mr. Kurosawa.
Mr. Laurel first showed Mr. Kurosawa the memorabilia of Ambassador Jose S. Laurel III, founder of The Philippines-Japan Society, including all its affiliate organizations, including NCF.
Then, Mr. Kurosawa met with NCF Management to discuss challenges in Japanese language learning. They also exchanged ideas on areas improvement as well as opportunities for expanding Nihongo learning in the country. Given the current state of Japanese language education in the Philippines, the meeting highlighted the need for teacher training in the country to address the perennial shortage of qualified Filipino teachers of the Japanese language.
Mr. Kurosawa also met with some members of the NCF Faculty, including former Japan Foundation Grantees for Short-Term and Long-Term Teaching Training Program at JF Urawa. The teachers took turns introducing themselves and engaging in casual conversations wherein Mr. Kurosawa also shared his previous professional experiences in the Philippines.
