28/09/2026
On 23 September 2026 the International Relations Department brought learning beyond the classroom as twenty-four IR students joined the 24th Philippine-Japan Festival Kick-Off Ceremony at Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai International School.
Students had the opportunity to hear from distinguished guests, including Hon. Hirotaka Ono, Consul General of Japan in Davao, and H.E. Ambassador Yoshiaki Miwa, former Ambassador of Japan and President of the Mindanao-Japan Science and Technology Platform (MJ-STeP), whose messages highlighted the enduring ties between the Philippines and Japan. The program also featured Filipino traditional dances, cultural presentations, and Japanese performances, giving our students a firsthand look at the people-to-people connections behind bilateral relations.
The experience continued at IMIN Museum in Calinan, where students explored Davao’s longstanding connections with Japan and the historical ties shaped by Japanese migration, communities, and the abaca industry.
The day wrapped up with an origami making activity, because apparently, cultural diplomacy also comes with a few folds.
From history and cultural exchange to a little hands on diplomacy, the educational tour gave our IR students a chance to see Philippine-Japan relations beyond the classroom and in the communities where these connections have taken shape.