12/14/2007 - Phillippine exchange students arrive for two-week visit in Japan

Sixty students and six teachers from various parts of the Philippines flew to Japan for a two-week exposure on the host country’s culture, society among other things, the Japan Embassy in Manila announced.

On December 10th, a lunch reception party was held at “Tokyo big sight”, where foreign ambassadors and officials from Ministry of Foreign Affairs were present. Students wore their own country’s costumes, so the place was filled with beautiful colors!

This is the first batch from the Philippines chosen by The Japanese Government, through the Japan Information and Cultural Center, Embassy of Japan, in cooperation with the AFS Intercultural Program, among other organizations for a newest student exchange program called the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths Programme or the JENESYS Programme.

During their stay in the land of the rising sun, the students will experience home-stay, interact with Japanese youths and visit traditional cities like Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Hiroshima and historical sites there.

“All these activities aim to deepen the students’ understanding on Japanese politics, diplomacy, economics, society and culture,” the embassy said in a statement.

The JENESYS Programme was launched based on the Japanese Government’s announcement during the Second East Asia Summit (EAS) about the plan to invite 6,000 young people mainly from East Asia Summit (EAS) member countries to Japan every year for five years.

It intends to lay the foundation for solidarity among Asian countries by promoting mutual understanding between the future generations of ASEAN and other East Asian countries. All expenses will be borne by the Japanese Government in cooperation with the ASEAN Secretariat.

Meanwhile, another batch, through The National Youth Commission (NYC), will leave in May 2008 and applications are still open until December 31, 2007. For other details of the program, all interested applicants are being encouraged to check it out on the website or to the NYC website at www.youth.net.ph