Ambassador Endo visits Davao for key projects and meetings

Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines, Kazuhiko Endo, visited Davao City from 27 to 28 January, where he inspected key projects and met with local officials.

On 27 January, Ambassador Endo visited the Mindanao Kokusai Daigaku and the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai International School (PNJK-IS), observing Japanese language classes. He also held a lunch meeting with the President of Mindanao International University, Inez Yamanouchi Mallari, and members of the university's Board of Trustees.

Later, Ambassador Endo toured the Davao City Bypass Road Construction Project, which is funded by Japanese grant aid, and inspected a tunnel excavation site with DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil Sadaine.

On 28 January, he visited the Mintal Japanese Cemetery to pay respects to Japanese pioneers who settled in Davao and also toured the IMIN Museum. There, he learned about the Japanese community’s history in Davao and spoke with Japanese-Filipino residents about their experiences.

Ambassador Endo also met with Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte. They discussed Japan’s support for local infrastructure projects, including the Davao City Bypass and Waste-to-Energy projects. Endo reiterated Japan’s commitment to peace efforts in Mindanao and the importance of fair elections for the Bangsamoro parliament. Mayor Duterte expressed gratitude for Japan's support and emphasized continued collaboration.