Japan formally welcomed the 18th Batch of Filipino Nurse and Certified Careworker candidates under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) during the opening ceremony of the Preparatory Japanese Language Training (PJLT) held on 4 November 2025.

Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuya Endo led the event, expressing his admiration for the commitment of Filipino healthcare workers and the role they play in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Endo said Japan is “honored to welcome Filipino healthcare workers” and emphasized that the candidates “would serve as a bridge between the two nations through people-to-people exchange.”

He also encouraged the 225 trainees to remain focused on their studies, noting that the skills and cultural knowledge they acquire over the next six months “will lay the groundwork for their success in Japan.”

Also present at the ceremony were Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac, TESDA National Language Skills Center Administrator Mitzi G. Samson-Endriano, Nihongo Center Foundation President Philip B. Sanvictores, Japan Foundation Manila Director Suzuki Ben, and Japan International Corporation of Welfare Services Managing Director Kataoka Yoshikazu.

The PJLT will provide candidates with six months of language and cultural instruction online, led by the Japan Foundation Manila and Nihongo Center Foundation. The training is free of charge.

Once in Japan, the candidates will undergo an additional six months of language training before beginning assignments in hospitals and caregiving facilities. Those who pass Japan's national exams for nurses or certified caregivers are eligible to extend their employment beyond the duration of the JPEPA program.

Since the agreement was implemented in 2006, thousands of Filipino healthcare professionals have been deployed to Japan, helping address the country's growing demand for skilled medical and care staff amid its aging population.