Ambassador ENDO Kazuya welcomes the 13th Batch of NIHONGO Partners

On 10 August 2026, Ambassador ENDO Kazuya warmly received a courtesy visit from the 13th batch of NIHONGO Partners at the Embassy of Japan in Pasay City. Along with the nineteen (19) Japanese language teachers, Japan Foundation, Manila (JFM) Director SUZUKI Ben and other JFM representatives attended the courtesy visit. 

Ambassador Endo expressed his gratitude for the 13th batch’s dedication to sharing Japanese language and culture in the Philippines. With the two countries celebrating the 70th year of friendship this year, Ambassador Endo also shared his optimism that the language teachers will serve as a vital cultural bridge who will further enrich Japan and the Philippines’ people-to-people ties.  

The NIHONGO Partners Program endeavors to support local Japanese-Language teachers and students by dispatching Japanese nationals predominantly to secondary education institutions in Asia for a short period, ranging from six months to a year. The JFM sends the partners from Japan to work as assistants in classes and introduce Japanese language and culture. Apart from teaching, they are also encouraged to interact widely outside of classes by learning about the host country’s local language, culture, and customs. 

This year’s batch will soon be assigned to support schools in municipalities and cities in the National Capital Region, Baguio, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Laguna, Batangas, Camarines Sur, Albay, Iloilo, Cebu, Bohol, and Davao. 
 
For more details about the “NIHONGO Partners Program,” please visit the links below: 

 
Japanese: 
https://www.jpf.go.jp/j/about/result/ar/2023/02_05.html 
https://asiawa.jpf.go.jp/partners/ 

English:   
https://jfmo.org.ph/nihongo-partners-program/ 
https://asiawa.jpf.go.jp/partners/