The latest batch of Japanese government-sponsored Filipino exchange students are off to Japan where they will take up masteral studies in Japanese universities.

Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Tsuge Yoshifumi, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya and officials of the Philippine Association of the Japanese Government Scholars hosted the send-off party for the 20 Filipino scholars at the envoy’s residence in Makati City on 16 August.

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Monbukagakusho or MEXT) of the Japanese government is spending for the scholarships, including monthly allowance, waived education fees and transportation to and from Japan.

Among the scholars are University of the Philippines Asian Center alumnus Aemir M. Villafania who will enter Nagoya University as a research student under the Linguistics and Cultural Studies Program of its Graduate School of Humanities.

The other scholars include Rovin James Canja from the Department of Education, Charisse Catipay from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and Hanna Bianca Sasil from the Department of Finance.

Gracing the occasion were NEDA Undersecretary Joseph Capuno, Civil Service Commission Director Fernando Porio, Japan International Cooperation Agency Philippines Chief Representative Sakamoto Takema and other government officials.