Ambassador ENDO visits Davao City for lecture series

From 16 to 17 April 2026, Ambassador ENDO Kazuya visited Davao City to conduct a lecture series on Japan-Philippines relations at the Holy Cross of Davao College and the Ateneo de Davao University. The event brought together students and faculty of both institutions as an opportunity to deepen their understanding of Japan and the Philippines’ enduring friendship, especially amidst celebrations to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of Japan-Philippines Friendship this 2026.  
 
In his lecture, Ambassador Endo delved into Japan and the Philippines’ bilateral relations and ongoing cooperation efforts in the economy, security, and people-to-people exchanges. More importantly, he also highlighted Japan and the Mindanao region’s longstanding historical ties, which continues to remain steadfast today. 
 
In addition, at Holy Cross of Davao College, Madam Endo conducted a Japanese cultural presentation featuring workshops on ikebana. At Ateneo de Davao University, the Ambassador and Madam Endo visited a Japanese language class, where they engaged with students through simple greetings in Japanese and other interactions, further deepening their exchange with the students. 
 
During his visit, Ambassador Endo also met with various members of the Davao community.  

On 16 April, Ambassador Endo joined the Fellowship Lunch of the Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Program (SSEAYP) Davao Region Chapter alumni. He also paid a courtesy call on Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte to strengthen the close cooperation and partnership between Japan and Davao City. Ambassador Endo also met with representatives of Davao’s business community to discuss and leverage shared resources for further economic collaborations.  
 
Then, on 17 April, Ambassador Endo met with Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairperson Leo Tereso A. Magno to discuss ongoing development collaborations in the Mindanao region. He also had the opportunity to visit Davao City’s Waste-to-Energy (WTE) facility project site, an initiative supported through Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA).