More than 200 Filipino nurse and caregiver candidates are scheduled to deploy to Japan this month under a long-running economic partnership agreement between the two nations, officials said.

Japanese Minister for Economic Affairs Yokota Naobumi attended a send-off ceremony hosted by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) for the program’s 18th batch, which consists of 17 nurse and 194 careworker candidates.

In his remarks, Yokota cited that the deployment coincides with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic friendship between Japan and the Philippines. He called the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JEPA) a landmark initiative that has significantly strengthened bilateral ties.

DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac sent well wishes to the candidates through a video message. The event was also attended by DMW Undersecretary Felicitas Q. Bay and Japan Foundation, Manila director Suzuki Ben.

All 211 candidates were hired through a government-to-government arrangement facilitated by the DMW and the Japan International Corporation of Welfare Services. The initiative is part of the JEPA framework signed in 2006. Since the first group was deployed in 2009, more than 4,000 Filipino healthcare candidates have participated in the program.