Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare UENO Kenichiro visits the Philippines

From 24 to 26 August 2026, Japan’s Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare UENO Kenichiro visited the Philippines. On 25 August, Minister Ueno visited the Japanese Memorial Garden in Caliraya, Laguna. He paid his respects by offering flowers for the souls of the war dead. After the war, Japan and the Philippines have steadily nurtured their bonds with each other. As Japan and the Philippines celebrate the 70th anniversary of friendship, Japan continues to value the peace and friendship it has forged with the Philippines.  
Minister Ueno also visited the Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) to meet with World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director and the First Pacific Islander Dr. Saia Ma’u Piukala to discuss the ongoing cooperation between Japan and WPRO, which covers personnel contribution and important health topics, such as the Universal Health Care (UHC).  
Then, on 26 August, Minister Ueno visited a Japanese-affiliated vocational training school to witness training and Japanese-language classes.  
Afterwards, while in Thailand to attend the 14th ASEAN+3 Labour Ministers’ Meeting, he also met with Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Francis Tolentino. During the meeting, they discussed the labour and employment issues in the Philippines and the potential and further collaboration between Japan and the Philippines. 

Link to MHLW Photo report: the 14th time ASEAN+3 Minister of Labor meeting