“Japan’s only
institution dedicatedto carrying out
comprehensive
international cultural
exchange programs
throughout theworld.”TABLEOF
CONTENTS

1
3
5
7
8
9
11
13
15
19
28
30

Foreword from the President of the Japan Foundation
Greetings
Timeline of JFM
Directors of JFM
About The Japan Foundation and JFM
Arts and Cultural Exchange
Japanese Studies and Intellectual Exchange
Japanese-Language Education Overseas
The Japan Foundation Asia Center
Messages
Special Message
Conversations

FOREWORD

On the occasion of the JapanFoundation, Manila’s 20th
anniversary, I am pleased to thankeveryone – individuals, as well asorganizations – that have been
engaged in our programs andhave extended cooperation to ouractivities. Through the years, theJapan Foundation, Manila (JFM)
has supported the exchange anddialogue of numerous artists,
scholars, students and otherprofessionals between Japan and thePhilippines, strengthening the ties
between our two nations further.

The 20th anniversary of JFM and thecelebration of 60 Years of PhilippinesJapan Friendship allow us to renew
our sincere commitment to foster
mutual understanding and develop
a harmonious and prosperous
relationship between Japan and thePhilippines.

In his contribution to the New YorkTimes on August 13, 2013, Philippine
National Artist for Literature Prof.
F. Sionil Jose wrote, “I was uneasy
meeting with the Japanese, andthought I would never be able tohave a social relationship with them.
Since then, however, I have madeJapanese friends…”

The Japan Foundation establishedthe Asia Center in April 2014 tostrengthen exchange activities with
Asian countries. We strongly believethat cultural exchange activities
should be multi-dimensional, whichconsequently inspires everyone
involved in carrying out collaborative
efforts as a fruit of successive
cultural exchanges.

Japan continuously endeavors tohave a close relationship with thePhilippines despite unfortunate
historical memories. In 2014 184,204 Filipinos visited Japan,
and 463,744 Japanese visited thePhilippines. The numbers increase
every year.

The Philippines takes on thechairmanship of the ASEAN in
2017, the same year that ASEAN
celebrates its 50th anniversary. We
look forward to working closely with
the Philippines in fostering common
understanding and coexistence
among ASEAN people.

Today, opportunities abound in
the engagement of interactive artsand cultural exchange activities forpeople of both countries. People-topeople relations are fundamental
to cultural exchange. Thus, I firmly

1believe that individual exchange
between people in diverse fields andthe strengthening of networks are
the bases for a cohesive bilateralrelationship.

HIROYASU ANDO
President
Japan Foundation

GREETINGS

between Filipinos and Japanese.

As the Japan Foundation,
Manila (JFM) celebrates its 20th
anniversary, I am pleased toextend our sincere gratitude
to everyone: individuals who,
as well as organizations which,have continuously supported
our educational and culturalendeavors.
When JFM was established in
1996, its primary aim was tointroduce Japanese culture
through a variety of cultural
exchange programs so as todeepen mutual understanding

3

Two decades is a milestone.
It is significant to note thepositive changes that JFM
has undertaken in thelast two decades, like theexpansion of programs,
projects and activities, forinstance. JFM is an active
component in an everglobalizing society, where theflow of people and information
has become enormous andborderless. The significance of
cultural exchange has become
multi-dimensional. JFM is
responsive to the trends andneeds of the time. On top of
knowing and understanding
each other, there is a meetingof the minds, collaborationand creativity in accomplishinga lasting people-to-people
relationship.
Responding to the conclusion of
the Japan-Philippines Economic
Partnership Agreement (JPEPA),
JFM has been conducting
the preparatory Japanese
Language Training Program for
Filipino nurse and caregivercandidates since 2010 at theTechnical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA).

It is heartwarming to note that
Their Imperial Majesties visited,and extended encouragement
and gratitude to the Filipino
candidates last January.
I feel that the present
relationship between Japaneseand Filipinos is the closest andthe friendliest ever; 20 years
would indeed be a milestone
if JFM could be considered forhaving contributed – even justpartially – to the strengtheningof goodwill and friendshipbetween our nations.
In 2014, with the establishmentof the Japan Foundation Asia
Center to strengthen exchange
activities of Japan across Asia,
the field of activities of the JFM
naturally became more diverse
and encompassing.
Within the 20-year history of
the JFM’s existence, I initiallytook the position of assistantdirector from 2000 to 2005. Last
year, I was privileged to havebeen reassigned to Manila, thistime as JFM’s director. It wasa homecoming indeed: “WowPhilippines,” back to the warm
hospitality of Filipinos!

I really would like to thank my“lucky stars” that I am once
again in the Philippines forthe significant observance ofthe 60 Years of PhilippinesJapan Friendship and the20th Anniversary of the JapanFoundation, Manila. Thus, as
JFM’s director, it is with strong
determination for me and for us
to fulfill the responsibilities incontributing further to the bondof friendship between our two
peoples.
In closing, we again extend oursincere gratitude for the 20
years. Maraming salamat po sa
inyong lahat. We indeed lookforward to countless years of
goodwill, mutual understanding
and friendship.

HIROAKI UESUGIDirector
The Japan Foundation, Manila

political cooperation as wellas cultural exchange. Since its
establishment, JFM’s role inadvancing cultural exchange
has been crucial.
As a hub for Japaneselanguage education in thePhilippines, JFM has raised
the number of Nihongo or
Japanese language learners,
and enhanced the quality ofJapanese-language education
by offering various programs,
including training courses for
Nihongo teachers both here
and in Japan.

M

y warmest felicitations to
the Japan Foundation, Manila(JFM), as it celebrates 20 years
of presence in the Philippines! It
is both an honor and a pleasure
to be working alongside JFM inenhancing goodwill and mutual
understanding through thepromotion of cultural exchange
between Japan and thePhilippines.
Through the years, there havebeen various efforts to bridge
Japan and the Philippines
through economic and

The Japanese Language
Proficiency Test (JLPT) is held
twice a year in three major
cities to accomodate thegrowing number of takers of
the test. Learning the Japanese
language has also become
more attractive and challenging
through activities like the
Nihongo Fiesta and the annual
speech contest.
Furthermore, JFM’s cultural
exchange programs have madeit easier for Filipinos from allwalks of life to access andappreciate Japan’s rich fusion of
traditional and contemporary
culture. For instance, the yearlyJapanese film festival or Eigasai
is heavily anticipated by the
public. JFM has also brought top
Japanese musicians, performers
and works of art to thePhilippines for Filipinos to enjoy.
With the growing popularityof Japanese culture especiallyamong the youth, the field ofJapanese Studies also continues
to grow in the Philippines. JFM
supports Filipino JapaneseStudies scholars by offering
fellowship programs. Academic
conferences and symposia inthe country are also supported
by JFM to help promoteawareness on Japan-related
topics.
With the newly-strengthened
strategic partnership of Japanand the Philippines, newopportunities have opened
up in Japan for Filipinos, andJapanese-language education
has become more crucial thanever.
The Japan Foundation, Manila
has worked together with theTechnical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA)
in offering Japanese language
courses to prepare Filipino

nurses and care workers boundfor Japan. In their state visit to
the Philippines earlier this year,
Their Majesties the Emperorand Empress of Japan even met
and encouraged the course
participants.
I sincerely congratulate theJapan Foundation, Manila foreverything it has achieved in thepast two decades. I hope thatit continues to be instrumental
in furthering the bond between
our two countries, especially as
we celebrate 60 years of JapanPhilippines friendship.

KAZUHIDE ISHIKAWA

Ambassador Extraordinary andPlenipotentiary of Japan to thePhilippines4THE JAPAN FOUNDATION, Manila TIMELINEThe Japan Foundation Manila
Office (JFMO) was established. Its
name was later changed to theJapan Foundation, Manila (JFM).

2

JFM celebrated 50 Years ofPhilippines-Japan Friendship withthe governments of the Philippines
and Japan (represented by the
Embassy of Japan.)4

The Japan Foundation was established
as a special legal entity under the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

1

5

JFM started hold training
programs for High School teachers.

6

JFM and the Philippines-Japan Festival’98 joined the celebration of thePhilippine Centennial with various
events.

3

The JFM Library was opened
to the public at the first floor ofPacific Star Building in July.

5

JFM transferred its office andlibrary to the 23rd Floor of PacificStar Building to accommodate a
growing team and more activities.

8

10
The Japan Foundation Asia Center
was established.

JFM started the Preparatory JapaneseLanguage Training for Filipino Candidatesof Nurses and Certified Care Workers under
the EPA.

7

JFM celebrated the 40th
Anniversary of Japan-ASEAN
Friendship.

9

12
JFM celebrates its 20th
Anniversary along with thecommemoration of 60 Years ofPhilippines-Japan Friendship.

11
JLPT was formallyadministered twice a year
(July and December).

6

THE DIRECTORS

Yukio Oshida

Motohisa Shimizu

Naoaki Uchiyama

Tsutomu Suzuki

Shuji Takatori

Hiroaki Uesugi(1996 – 1998)(2005 – 2010)

7(1998 – 2003)(2010 – 2015)(2003 – 2005)(2015 – present)

THE
JAPAN
FOUNDATIONThe Japan Foundation

was established in 1972
by special legislationin the Japanese Diet. It
became an independentadministrative institutionin October 2003. It is
Japan’s only institution
dedicated to carryout comprehensive
international cultural
exchange programsaround the world. It
aims to deepen mutual
understanding between

the people of Japan andother countries/regions
through various activities
and information services
that create opportunities
for interactions amongpeople.
The Japan Foundation
has a global network
consisting of its Tokyo
headquarters, the Kyoto
office, and 24 overseas
offices in 23 countries.
It also has two Japanese
language institutes:
the Japan Foundation
Japanese Language
Institutes in Urawa andKansai.
The Japan Foundation
also operates programsin partnership withJapanese embassies andconsulates, Japanese
language institutions,and cultural exchangeorganizations
inside and outside Japan.

The Japan Foundation, Manila
The Japan Foundation, Manila (JFM) was establishedin 1996 as the 18th overseas office of the JapanFoundation. It facilitates cultural and intellectual
exchanges between Japan and the Philippines
including the promotion of Japanese-language
education and the administration of the Japanese
Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) in the Philippines
twice a year.
Since 2014, JFM has expanded its activities andprograms to cover the increasing cultural exchange
between Japan and Southeast Asia, particularly
through the Japan Foundation Asia Center.
JFM implements various programs under the threefocused areas of the Japan Foundation:
Arts and Cultural Exchange
Japanese Studies and Intellectual Exchange
Japanese-Language Education Overseas
It also provides funding/fellowship/support for
cultural and people-to-people exchanges as well as
collaborative projects through its Grants Programs.
These programs cover projects from local orFilipino individuals and/or organizations that aim topromote Japanese arts and culture, language andintellectual exchanges, as well as projects that involve
international collaboration with Japan and other Asian
countries.

8Arts and Cultural
Exchange

Towards a shared culture

The Japan Foundation, Manila (JFM) works not only to promote Japanese artsand culture in the Philippines but also to develop a shared culture between
the two countries. Through various programs, we convey Japan’s richculture and its myriad arts reflecting both Japan’s heart and mind.

JFM organizes various
activities under thisfocus, including thefollowing:

Art Exhibitions

9

The Arts and Culture Exchange programs aim to give people achance to relate to Japan even beyond the language barrier andto give Japanese people deeper appreciation for Philippine artsand culture through people-to-people exchanges. JFM alsocollaborates with other international cultural organizations in
the Philippines for a variety of arts and culture programs.

Lectures, workshops
and demonstrations
on Japanese arts andculture, including
literature, food andfashionConcerts

Theater Performances

Film festivals andother screenings

OUR
PROJECTS
FILM

Eigasai: The Japanese Film
Festival

1

International Silent Film
Festival

2

Performing
Arts
Exhibitions
Pop Culture
Manga Realities, 20114

Yamato: Drums of Japan, 20103

Earth Manual Project,
2014-2015

6

Beautiful Handicraftsof Tohoku, 20157

Uchusentai Noiz, 2013

8

Media Art Kitchen, 2013

5Spinning Manila: J-Pop
Live!, 2016910

Japanese Studies
Intellectual ExchangeAND

Towards deeper mutual understanding

To deepen the understanding of Japan abroad and to maintain

good relations between Japan and other countries, JFM provides
grant programs for Japanese Studies organizations, as well as
fellowships for scholars and researchers who wish to conduct
further studies about and in Japan.
JFM offers intellectual and grassroots exchange programs such as
collaborative research projects and dialogues that seek to deepen
the understanding of critical issues that confront the world and toseek measures in solving such issues.
JAPAN

JFM

PHIL

With the Japan Foundation Asia Center, JFM’s intellectual andgrassroots exchange programs have expanded to connect more
people in Asia beyond Japan and the Philippines.

11

PROGRAMS
Grant Programs to Japanese Studies
organizations
Fellowships for scholars andresearchers conducting studies on
JapanSupport programs for international
collaborative projects and dialogues

Japanese Studies
Institutional Support

Japanese Studies
Fellowship

Tracing the Contours of A Rapidly
Changing East Asia: Issues andPerspectives, conducted by De La Salle
University, 2016

3

Understanding Japan Through IAI-DO,
conducted by the Ateneo de Manila
University, 2016

Asia Leadership Fellow Program,
2014

1

2

The Japan Foundation Fellows’
Reunion, 2012

Intellectual Exchange
SupportConference-Workshop of Asian Composers on
Reconfiguring Music, Nature and Myth, 2015

4

Asia Leadership
Fellow Program

4

Developing Sustainable and Resilient Rural
Communities in the Midst of Climate Change:
A Challenge to Disaster Preparedness and
Mitigation Strategies, 2015512

Japanese-Language
Education Overseas
Towards greater communication
Language education helps amplify the understanding of a society’s culture while also helping the learnerappreciate their own. To further create a shared culture between Japan and the Philippines, JFM offers a variety
of Japanese-language education programs that help foster greater understanding of the Japanese language.
JFM develops programs in consonance with the educational environment, policies and objectives of concerned
government entities and educational institutions it works with in the Philippines.

PROGRAMS & PROJECTS
Courses for Japanese Language
Learner at JFM

Japanese Language Teachers’
Training

JFM offers courses forJapanese language
learners from beginner
to intermediate levelwith the JF standard

1

13

2

3

Since 2009, JFM has
trained 94 high school
teachers in cooperation
with the Department of
Education (DepEd). Also,
JFM holds teachers’ training
courses and forums togain new knowledge andto encourage among
teachers.

Japanese Language Proficiency Test

4

Preparatory Japanese-Language Training for
Filipino Candidates of Nurses and Certified
Care Workers under EPA

5

JLPT has been offered as a reliable means of evaluating andcertifying the Japanese proficiency of non-native speakers. JFM
conducts JLPT in Manila, Cebu and Davao twice a year. In 2015,
there were a total of 6,169 applicants.

Events for Japanese Language Learners

6

JFM provides the candidates
with six months of training
in the Japanese language
and understanding Japanesesocial culture before theirfurther language andprofessional training in Japan.
From 2011 until May 2016,
about 1,200 candidates havecompleted training.

Conducting Survey
JFM conducts surveys of Japanese-language educationin the Philippines. According to the survey in 2012, thePhilippines has 32,418 Japanese-language education
learners, ranking as the 10th largest number of learners in
the world. In 1998, there were only 7,183 learners.

7

8

JFM annually conducts Nihongo Fiesta with Nihongo SpeechContest and Nihongo Quiz Bee for High School Students
14

Mission

The Japan
Foundation
Asia Center
The Japan Foundation Asia Center
was established in April 2014 asa specialized unit of the JapanFoundation. It aims to connect
people, expand networks anddevelop cultural programs acrossAsia. In cooperation with the JapanFoundation’s overseas offices, theAsia Center pursues and supports
various forms of activities between
Asian communities throughprojects in various fields includingmusic, theater, film, sports, dance,
visual arts, people-to-people
exchange, Japanese-language
education and other academic
exchanges.

15

The Asia Center is part of the newpolicy for Asian cultural exchangeannounced by the Japanese
government in December 2013 at
the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative
Summit Meeting held in Tokyo. This
policy is known as the WA Project– Toward Interactive Asia throughFusion and Harmony. It is inspiredby the concept of an Asia filledwith mutual learning, support andunderstanding.
Looking forward to the Tokyo
Olympics and Paralympics in
2020, the Asia Center will engage
in a diverse range of activities topromote and strengthen cultural
exchange between Japan and othercountries of Asia. Through these,
the Asia Center shall nurture asense of empathy and co-existence
among people in Asia, further
developing symbiotic relationships.

CONCEPT

The Asia Center seeks to realize
the four Cs to foster a sense ofcommon feeling and co-existence
among the people of Asia.
(www.jfac.jp/en)OUR
PROJECTS

Film

Performing
Arts

Asia Center x Tokyo
International Film
Festival

2

1

Music

3
Performing
Asian Youth Jazz
Arts Meeting in
Orchestra
Yokohama (TPAM)

Dance

Visual Arts

Intellectual
Exchange

JapaneseLanguage
Education

Dance Dance Asia

5

Condition Report(Curatorial
Workshop)6

Hopes and Dreams(HANDs!) Project(Disaster Education)

7

4

NIHONGO Partners

16PHOTO CREDITS
Timeline of JFM

Arts and Culture Exchange

1 – Old Official Logo of The Japan Foundation
2 – Office Inauguration, 1996, The Peninsula
Manila, Makati City
3 – “JFMO and the Philippines-Japan Festival ’98 incelebration of the Centennial,” JFMO News 2, no. 1(1998): 1-2
4 – 50 Years of Philippines-Japan Friendship Souvenir
Sheet, Philippine Postal Corporation, 2006
5 – The Japan Foundation, Manila Library, 2007
6 – Teacher Training for Course on Japanese for HighSchools, 2009, Makati City
7 – Opening Ceremony of JPEPA Japanese Language
Training Program for Nurse Candidates, 2011,
TESDA, Pasay City
8 – The Japan Foundation, Manila Reception Area
9 – Official Logo of the 40th Anniversary of JapanASEAN Friendship
10 – Official Logo of the Japan Foundation Asia
Center
11 – JLPT Poster, 2015, www.jlpt.jp
12 – Official Logo of 60 Years of Philippines-Japan
Friendship

1 – EIGASAI: The Japanese Film Festival, 2015,
Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City2 – 9th International Silent Film Festival in Manila,
2015, Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City
3 – Yamato: Drums of Japan, 2010, Tanghalang
Nicanor Abelardo, Cultural Center of thePhilippines, Manila
4 – Manga Realities, 2011, Ayala Museum, MakatiCity
5 – Media Art Kitchen, 2013, Ayala Museum, MakatiCity
6 – Earth Manual Project, 2015, Museo Iloilo, Iloilo
City
7 – Beautiful Handicrafts of Tohoku, 2015, Ayala
Museum, Makati City
8 – Uchusentai Noiz, 2013, Sky Dome, SM North,
Quezon City
9 – Spinning Manila: J-Pop Live!, 2016, Whitespace
Manila, Makati City

17

Japanese Studies and Intellectual Exchange
1 – Tracing the Contours of a Rapidy Changing East
Asia: Issues and Perspectives, 2016, Bayleaf Hotel,
Intramuros, Manila
2 – Understanding Japan Through IAI-DO, 2016,
Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City
3 – The Japan Foundation Fellows’ Reunion, 2012,
Makati Shangri-La Hotel, Makati City
4 – Dinner of Fellows, Asia Leadership Fellow
Program, 2014, Japan
5 – Conference-Workshop of Asian Composers on
Reconfiguring Music, Nature and Myth, 2015,

Lyceum of the Philippines, Manila
6 – Developing Sustainable and Resilient Rural
Communities in the Midst of Climate Change: A Challenge
to Disaster Preparedness, 2015, Crowne Plaza Hotel,
Quezon City

Japanese-Language Education Overseas
1 – Marugoto, 2016, Makati City
2 – Sensei no Wa (Teacher Trainings), 2015, Makati City
3 – Philippine Nihongo Teachers’ Forum, 2016, MakatiCity
4 – Japanese Language Proficiency Test, 2015, De La Salle
University, Manila
5 – JLPT Poster, 2016, www.jlpt.jp
6 – EPA Program, 2015, Manila
7 – Nihongo Speech Contest, 2016, Shangri-La Plaza,
Mandaluyong City
8 – Nihongo Quiz Bee for High School Students, 2016,
Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City

The Japan Foundation Asia Center
1 – Asia Center x Tokyo International Film Festival, 2015,
Tokyo, Japan
2 – Hideo Maezawa, TPAM – Performing Arts Meeting in
Yokohama, 2016, Yokohama, Japan
3 – Asian Youth Jazz Orchestra, 2015, Meralco Theater,
Pasig City
4 – Tadamasa Iguchi, Dance Dance Asia, 2015, Setagaya
Public Theater, Tokyo, Japan
5 – Condition Report, 2015, University of the Philippines,
Diliman, Quezon City
6 – Hopes and Dreams (HANDs!) Project, 2015, Chiang
Mai, Thailand
7 – NIHONGO Partners, 2015, Manila

MESSAGESA SALUTE TO
THE JAPAN FOUNDATION

Like most Filipinos of my generation, I

had very little knowledge of Japan. I wasa senior at the high school departmentof the Far Eastern University (F.E.U.)
in Manila when the Japanese attacked
Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 8,1941. All classes were suspended thefollowing day.

F. (Francisco) Sionil Jose is a Pablo Neruda

Centennial Awardee, 2004; a Ramon Magsaysay
Awardee for Journalism, Literature and Creative
Communication Arts, 1980; and a National Artist for
Literature, 2001. He is also the founder of The Philippine
Center for International PEN (Poets, Playwrights,
Essayists, Novelists), and is publisher of the Solidaridad
Publishing House.

19

I had difficulty understanding how asmall country like Japan could wage
war on a superpower like the UnitedStates. Through those three years of
brutal occupation, I tried to know more
about our new colonizer.
I finally went to Japan for the first timein 1955, when Japan was still very poor.
Having seen the Japanese at work,
how they prevailed over their loss,
my hatred of them slowly turned into
an understanding of their enduring
virtues.

That understanding was greatly
assisted by the Japan Foundation which– through the years – has invited me to
Japan for various programs, the bestof which was a six-month study grant
to research on Artemio Ricarte, thePhilippine revolutionary general who
spent 30 years in exile in Japan. He hadrefused to pledge allegiance to the U.S.,
and returned to the Philippines with
the Japanese army in 1942.
Those six months in Japan afforded me
deep insights into Japanese history,
into the rivalries in its Armed Forces,
and the eventual power grab by the
militarists. In those six months that
I talked with elderly Japanese who
survived the war – with academics andwriters – I came to understand thewellsprings of Japanese nationhoodand power, and the role of the Emperor
as a unifying element in society. Mostof all, I grasped how Japan modernized
after the Meiji Restoration in 1868 andwhy the Japanese are disciplined evenin agonizing calamities like the recent
earthquakes and tsunamis that havedevastated the country.

With its excellent programming, theJapan Foundation has – through thepast decades – brought to Manila avery good variety of the best of Japan’s
performance arts. We heard in Manila
the best koto musicians who playedthat classical instrument in a virtuoso
manner not many Japanese themselves
have heard and seen. Contemporary
stage presentations – the butoh, forinstance, was performed before anamazed audience at the Cultural Centerof the Philippines. Drummers and jazzmusicians illustrated how modern andneat Japanese music could be. The
performances of these visitors wereaugmented by movie festivals, flower
arrangement demonstrations, and ofcourse, the teaching of the Japanese
language.		
However, I still wish the JapanFoundation would broaden its program
so it could reach more Filipinosin the higher levels of learning.
More Japanese writers, academics,
intellectuals and scientists should visit
the Philippines to interact with their
Filipino counterparts. This is important
if we Filipinos are to know more about
the wellsprings of Japanese thought.

Today, Japanese exports dominate theglobal market. Japanese cars preen in
all the world’s major cities. Japaneserestaurants are now universally
accepted because Japanese foodis healthy. Japanese literature istranslated into so many languages andJapanese culture has itself become
familiar even in far corners of theworld.

prosperous, peaceful and ethical.
This message also appeared in SUKI,
the official newsletter of JFM for Arts
and Culture, and Intellectual Exchange(“Anniversary Series,” Volume XIX, Issue 3,
February 2016).

All these are results of superior
craftsmanship and aggressive trade,a very significant reason which – I am
sure – the Japanese have learned fromthe trauma of their loss in World War II.
I am not unaware of Japan’s dark side.
Far more significant to me is not Japan’s
economic success but the insights
in development which it explicitly
illustrates particularly to countries like
ours, which is bogged down in archaic
tradition and political dystopia.
Japan successfully exports not justits products, but its own inspiring
narrative as well. Here is a country
with finite resources, with only 20
percent of arable land. But the
purposeful Japanese are driven andthey have made their beautiful country
20

with the directors of arts institutions toshare common experiences.

CCP-JAPAN ARTISTICPARTNERSHIP
Raul M. Sunico is the President of the Cultural
Center of the Philippines and Dean of the University ofSanto Tomas Conservatory of Music. He is also with
the Klassikal Music Foundation, Philippine High Schoolfor the Arts, Foundation for the Musical Filipino, Youth
Development Organization of the Philippines, and the
Sunico Foundation for Arts and Technology.

The artistic and cultural collaboration

between the Philippines and Japan has
always been a robust one, reflecting
the more encompassing scope covering
the diplomatic relations between thetwo countries. It continues to blossom
today, especially as the variety ofartistic and cultural activities havegrown in number.
As the nation having the clear edgein financial resources, Japan has
expectedly and generously shared its

21

artists, facilities, and technical expertisewith the Philippines, the results andbenefits of which are clearly felt in ourcommunities.
In November 2010, the JapanFoundation extended an invitation
to me, in my capacity as the Artistic
Director of the Cultural Center of thePhilippines (CCP), for a two-week, fullysponsored travel to Japan in order togain first-hand exposure to its culturaland artistic activities, as well as to meet				Part of The Japan Foundation’s
Invitation Program for Cultural
Leaders, the trip was an opportunity
to strengthen ties and explore
new collaborations with Japan.
The hospitality accorded me was
extraordinary, where I had thefreedom to choose the places to visit,
the shows and exhibits to watch,and the important arts and culture
personalities to meet and discusscommon concerns with.
The CCP has been active incollaborating with the Embassy ofJapan and JFM in the past few years.
In 2006, JFM launched the PhilippinesJapan Friendship Year with the CCP
with a presentation titled Taiko!
Tambol! This featured the acclaimed
Yamato ensemble of taiko drummers
blending theater and musical arts intightly-synchronized and expressive
percussion numbers, with thespecial participation of the Negros
Drumbeaters from La Carlota.
In 2010, the Embassy of Japan, JFM,
CCP, UP Film Institute, andClickTheCity.com co-presented
EIGASAI: 100 Years of Kurosawa, a
two-week festival commemorating
the 100th birth anniversary of thelate great Japanese filmmaker, Akira
Kurosawa.
In celebration of the 40th Yearof ASEAN-Japan Friendship andCooperation in 2013, a series of
productions were held at the CCP,
including the solo performance ofmime artist Naoki Iimuro entitled Timeof Mime 2 in February and a stagingof the theatrical production entitled
The Restaurant of Many Orders basedon the same titled novel of poet andauthor Kenji Miyazawa in October.
It is the story of “nature vs. human,”featuring contemporary dance, various
vocalizations and several masks thatallowed the actors to go back and forth
between animals and humans.
In the same month, a concert thatfeatured WASABI, a traditional
Japanese instrumental band, wasorganized. WASABI is composed of
Ryoichiro Yoshisa on Tsugaru shamisen,
Hiromu Motonaga on bamboo flute,
Naosaburo Biho on Japanese drum andShin Ichikawa on koto.

Capping the festivities was thepresentation of the MAU: Japan-ASEAN
Dance Collaboration, which featured
the Kelantanese dance from Malaysia,
the stylized Mindanao dance from thePhilippines, the Balinese traditional
dance from Indonesia, the Kabuki
dance from Japan and the Chinese
Iiyuan opera from Singapore. It waschoreographed by Fujima Kanjuro VIII,
the Grandmaster of the 300-year old
Fujima School of Kabuki.

Furthermore, the arts often serve
as diplomatic cushion in times ofconflict and unresolved negotiations.
As the major cultural coordinatorsof their respective countries in thePhilippines, JFM, together with the
Embassy of Japan, and the CCP, haveforged a continuing partnership in arts
and artists exchange, ranging fromareas of performance and visual arts,
to literature, history and technicalsupport.

The strong Japanese cultural presencein the country reflects the depth of
diplomatic relations between thePhilippines and Japan. Cultural
diplomacy, which has – until recently –been taken for granted in international
negotiations, remains a silent yet potent
force in strengthening peace and global
security.

The years of diplomatic relations
between our two countries have greatly
healed the memories and vestiges of
the Second World War, and cultural
diplomacy has significantly contributed
to this healthy atmosphere.
This message also appeared in SUKI, theofficial newsletter of JFM for Arts and Culture
and Intellectual Exchange (“Anniversary Series,”
Volume XX, Issue 1, June 2016).

For one, there is a universal appeal
for the culture of nations to bedisseminated and appreciated by
one another, especially since there ispractically nothing controversial about
promoting one another’s culture andtraditions.
22

I was 15 years old in 1943 when myfather asked me if I was willing to joina select group of young Filipinos tostudy in Japan under a program
called Nanpo Tokubetsu
Ryugakusei (Special Foreign
Students from the Southern
Areas). Perhaps myyouthful impetuousness
disregarded the perceived
dangers of travelling at theheight of World War II, andto live in the land of the“enemy” at that.

Ambassador Benjamin F. Sanvictores,

Executive Trustee, The Philippine-Japan Foundation
friendship.

STILL TRAVELLING AFTER A
73-YEAR JOURNEY

23

in Industrial Technology, major in
Chemistry. Our business graduallydeveloped as we dealt and partneredwith the likes of Mitsui & Co., MitsubishiGroup, Taihei Machineries, Kawamoto
Pump, Kaneko Machineries, Gingu
Trading and a few others.
From 1971, returning Philippine
Ambassador to Japan Jose S. Laurel III
began to lead the creation of various
associations towards friendly relations
between Japan and the Philippines
including:On the contrary, I was excited
to be one of 27 young Filipino
pensionados (and the youngest,too) that left for Tokyo on board
the Miike Maru which brought us from
Manila to Takao (Kaoshiung), then to
Moji where we disembarked; and byrail from Shimonoseki to Tokyo (a trainride that took 24 hours!). Thus began
what would eventually turn out to be a
destined journey alongside highlights
of Philippines-Japan relations.

•The Philippines-Japan Society (1971)•The Philippines-Japan Economic
Cooperation Committee (PHILJEC, 1972)•The Philippines-Japan Friendship
Foundation (PJFF, 1974)•Philippines-Japan Ladies Association(PJLA, 1975)•Philippine Federation of Japan Alumni(PHILJEFA, 1976)•Philippine Institute of Japanese Language& Culture (PIJLC, 1992), and•Nihongo Center Foundation (NCF, 1997)

In 1951, I joined my father in runninga small trading company after I
graduated from the University ofSanto Tomas (U.S.T.) with a degree

Through those years and in all theseassociations, I was privileged to haveshared the vision of close, friendly
Philippines-Japan relations. In 1977,

PHILJEFA initiated the establishmentof the ASEAN Council of Japan Alumni(ASCOJA) based primarily on deeplyrooted personal relations and sharedexperiences of the wartime Nantoku(alumni of the Nanpo Tokubetsu
Ryugakusei) from Indonesia, Thailand,
Malaysia, Singapore and thePhilippines.
In 1986, I was appointed by President
Corazon Aquino as Deputy Chief ofMission of the Philippine Embassyin Tokyo. Until 1993, I was privileged
to have assisted in state visits ofPresidents Aquino and Fidel Ramos toJapan, while they observed the growthand development of relations between
the Philippines and Japan, in terms oftrade, Official Development Assistance(ODA), among others.
Forward to 1996, when the JapanFoundation, Manila (JFM) wasestablished. Both the PIJLC and the
NCF became its ready partners in the
promotion of Nihongo training in thePhilippines. Perhaps marking thisrelationship between the NCF and JFM
was the appointment of NCF as deputy
in conducting the Preparatory Nihongo
Training for about a third of candidate

nurses and care workers prior to theirdeployment to Japan under the JapanPhilippines Economic Partnership
Agreement (EPA), an agreement that
continues to this day.
More recently, JFM, in partnership withPHILJEFA, organized and hosted the
21st Conference of the ASEAN Council ofJapan Alumni in Manila from October 2
to 4, 2015.
From the prism of the 60th anniversaryof diplomatic relations between our
two countries, I would describe my rolein this relationship through the years
as a steady and exciting progressionof colors: starting out drab, gray, andalmost dark; then slowly assuming
shades of green, then red, and finally,a burst of colors in full array andsplendor. Significant in those colors
are the distinct shades of violet of theJapan Foundation, representing its
leading role in promoting international
cultural exchange.

my involvements with Japan, whether
in business, professional, diplomaticor civic terms, I am gratified to havebeen able to see my own children andtheir many Filipino colleagues, as wellas the next generation of compatriots
traversing a similar journey from paths
where we started and have left off.
They have also forged partnerships andfriendships with the Japanese people.
And so, as I reflect on my 73-year
journey, this elderly sage can see
more avenues opening, greater vistas
to view, and deeper friendships toshare in the ongoing, enduring story ofPhilippines-Japan relations.
This message will also appear in SUKI, theofficial newsletter of JFM for Arts and Culture
and Intellectual Exchange (“Anniversary Series,”
Volume XX, Issue 2, October 2016).

Such is how our two countries’ ties
– economic, academic, diplomatic,socio-civic, cultural – are now gleaned.
So close as to be called a “strong
strategic partnership.” Throughout
24

The first foreign country I visited wasJapan. That was in 1959, when I wasa third-year high school student. My
parents brought me to Tokyo, Kyoto
and Nara. Our family holiday left alasting impression on me.

In 1952, with the end of the Allied
occupation, Japan recovered its
status as an independent state. The
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
was opened in 1955. It was during
my 1959 visit when I watched withinterest the Peace Memorial Ceremonyon television. Japan was then still
recovering from the ravages of the war.

Dr. Wilfrido Villacorta was Ambassador to
the ASEAN and was the ASEAN Deputy SecretaryGeneral. He was a delegate to the 1986 Constitutional
Commission. He is Professor Emeritus at De La Salle
University, where he was Dean of Liberal Arts andSenior Vice-President for External Relations.

A COMMON POSTWARLEGACY OF PEACE25

In 1950, Japan’s GDP per capita was
US$1,873. The Philippines’ GDP per
capita was US$1,293, second only
to Japan, and ahead of Thailand,
Indonesia and China. It was the periodof rapid economic growth between
1955 and 1961 that led the way to theJapanese economic miracle.
Years later, as a professor, I was invited
to several conferences in Japan. In
1980, I was an exchange professor
in our longtime partner-institution,
Waseda University.

As Dean of the College of Liberal Arts of
De La Salle University - Manila (DLSUManila) in 1983, I launched the firstJapanese Studies degree program. I
wanted to share with the students myinterest in Japanese society and culture.
The academic program, which has been
supported by the Japan Foundation until
now, attracted the biggest number ofmajors.
When I was granted a six-monthresearch grant by the Japan Foundationin 1993, I had the opportunity to
conduct an in-depth study of Japanese
foreign policy. I was based at theInstitute of Developing Economies(Ajia Keizai Kenkyujo). My study
produced a monograph titled The
Political Economy of Japan’s Foreign
Policy towards ASEAN Countries In
addition to library research, I was able
to interview officials of the Ministryof Foreign Affairs and Ministry ofInternational Trade and Industry,businessmen, and leading academics
such as Shujiro Urata, Ippei Yamazawa,
Susumu Yamakage, Akira Takahashi,
and Masashi Nishihara.

I also did a survey at five leading
universities in Tokyo of attitudes ofstudents towards internationalization,
ASEAN and nationalism. I found outthat the majority of respondents wereopen to internationalization and were
for a peaceful, non-militarized Japan.
The other survey that the JapanFoundation funded was Perceptionsof Japan and the Japanese by Filipinos
and Indonesians: An Intergenerational
Study. The book, which I co-authoredwith Dr. Bachtiar Alam, Director ofJapanese Studies at the Universityof Indonesia, came out in 2002. The
sample was composed of Filipino andIndonesian middle-class respondents.
The survey results indicated aremarkable similarity among Filipino
and Indonesian respondents inperceiving Japan as a reliable economic
partner whose presence is beneficial totheir countries.
These findings were a source ofinspiration about the bright prospectsof continuing good relations between
Japan and the Philippines. I sharedthem when I was the main speakerat the 21st Conference of the ASEAN
Council of Japan Alumni (ASCOJA)

last October 2015 and the keynote
speaker at the 34th Conference of
the Philippines and Japan Economic
Cooperation Committees (PJECC) in
February this year.
The peoples of our two countries havea common abhorrence of war. Chapter
II, Article 9 of Japan’s constitution
states that “…Aspiring sincerely to aninternational peace based on justiceand order, the Japanese people forever
renounce war as a sovereign right of
the nation and the threat or use offorce as means of settling international
disputes.”
It is notable that the Philippine
Constitution highlights as well thepeace imperative: “The Philippines
renounces war as an instrument of
national policy, adopts the generally
accepted principles of internationallaw as part of the law of the land
and adheres to the policy of peace,equality, justice, freedom, cooperation,
and amity with all nations.” (Article II,
Section 2)

prohibition against the possession andproduction of nuclear weapons andagainst allowing third parties to bringsuch weapons into the country.
We, Filipinos, have constitutionalized
the ban against nuclear weapons in
our fundamental law. Section 8 under
Article II (State Policies) stipulates that“the Philippines, consistent with thenational interest, adopts and pursues
a policy of freedom from nuclear
weapons in its territory.”
The wartime trauma is engraved in
the consciousness of Filipinos andJapanese. It is clear from our recent
experiences that the real threats tohumanity are climate change andnatural disasters, poverty, nuclear
proliferation, terrorism, pandemics
and transnational crime. Our policymakers owe it to our young andfuture generations to give priority tocombatting these threats.

Nuclear weapons are banned in both
our countries. Japan observes the“Three Non-Nuclear Principles,” i.e. a26through lectures and other events
promoted by JFM that developed into
a lifelong appreciation for Noh, a taste
for manga, and a liking for taiko drum
performances. The Japan Foundation,
Manila opened its doors two decades
ago and caught the crest of the runup to the Centennial of Philippine
Independence and the centennials ofother significant events in Philippine
history by creating partner events
that formed part of my continuing
education.

Ambeth R. Ocampo is a member of the Advisory

Board of the Japan Foundation Asia Center, and is a
professor at the Department of History of the Ateneode Manila University. He was Chair of the National
Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) from2005 to 2007 and Chair of the National Historical
Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) from 2002 to2011.

I was eight years old when I first visited
Japan with my parents for Expo ’70 in
Osaka. I did not know back then thatJapan and Japanese culture would
slowly, and eventually, form part of myprofessional life.

27

The period between my childhood
memories and my actual engagementwith Japan was bridged and nurtured
in the last two decades by the JapanFoundation, Manila.
I first heard about JFM through their
festivals of contemporary Japanesecinema that built on my childhood
exposure to black and white Samurai
films. Free screenings of Japanese
anime reminded me of my Martial
Law childhood and how censorshipdeprived children of my generationof Voltes V. From film, I advanced

I am just one of many Filipinos
whose lives have been touched by its
programs and can only hope that it
stays another two decades to remain abridge not just between Japan and thePhilippines, but a bridge that connects
our peoples through culture andunderstanding.

SPECIALMESSAGE

Sincere congratulations

on the 20th anniversary of
the founding of the JapanFoundation, Manila! It wasexactly 20 years ago when I was
assigned to be its first director.
The inaugural ceremony washeld at the Peninsula Manila onJune 18, 1996, in the honorable
presence of then Foreign Affairs
Secretary Domingo Siazon
and many other distinguishedguests.

After a few congratulatory
greetings and speeches,
invited guests were treatedto the staging of excerpts
from Tanghalang Pilipino’s
musical adaptation of Jose
Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo. That auspicious
occasion kick-started JFM’svarious successful activities
in the Philippines. Everyone
looked joyful and optimistic
about what was to come in thenear and distant future.
YUKIO OSHIDAFounding Director, 1996
Japan Foundation Manila Office, now known as JapanFoundation, Manila

Since I joined the JapanFoundation nearly 40 years ago,
I had always wanted to returnthe favor to the Philippines, even half ofwhat I had received from my teachersand friends as one of the former
exchange students at the Ateneo deManila University (ADMU).
Although I am hesitant to presume that
I had lived up to their expectations,
I believe that with the help of my
dedicated colleagues and the Embassyof Japan, I was at least able to blaze a
new path for my successors.
In the first publication of JFMO Newsof the Japan Foundation Manila Office(JFMO) nearly 20 years ago, I stated“Despite the economic connection,
do our people know and understandone another better? Do we like andtrust each other? There seems to besomething twisted in a relationship thatis more preoccupied with pecuniary
considerations. We believe that there
is more to Philippines-Japan relations
than this. In our humble and uniqueway, we want to redress the situation
through the enhancement of cultural
understanding.” I hope that the JapanFoundation has played its due part inthis endeavor.

28

In my first year with the foundation,
we held such cultural events as theMari Fujiwara Cello Concert, Shintaiso(rhythmic gymnastics), Avant-garde
Butoh (dance), Kazutoki Umezu Jazz
Concert, Japanese Film Festival, to namejust a few. Most notably, we actively
participated in the three-month long
Philippines-Japan Festival.
On the Japanese language and studies
side, we had Nihongo Speech Contest,
Japanese Language Proficiency Test,
three workshops by two Japanese
language specialists, lectures by three
Japanese Studies professors, and also
provided various grant and fellowship
programs.
Compared to two decades ago, therelationship between the Philippines
and Japan has deepened and expanded
in various fields, including peopleto-people exchanges. I am currently
engaged in the Japanese-language
education of Filipino and Indonesiannurses and care workers who wish towork in Japan. In Japan, they are wellreceived and highly praised by many
stakeholders including senior citizens
in need of their help, because they
are professional, friendly, and warm29

hearted. Many Filipino tourists arecoming to see local areas as well as big
cities. Not a few Japanese students arelearning English by means of Skype –and more often than not – the teachers
are Filipinos!
I am optimistic about the future ofPhilippines-Japan relations. More andmore people go to live and work ineach other’s countries. The time tofind ways and means to co-exist as
close neighbors beyond cultural andlinguistic barriers, has come. I sincerely
hope that JFM will continue to play acentral role in furthering cultural ties
between our two countries.

CONVERSATION
In 20 years, JFM has undergone many changes: the location of

its office, the turnover of its staff members, the creation of new
projects/programs, and so on. Amid all the changes, one remains
constant: Mrs. Cecilia E.J. Aquino.
Here, Mrs. Aquino, the “mother of JFM,” shares her experience ofworking under the cultural arm of the Japanese government in thePhilippines – The Japan Foundation, Manila (JFM)
When and how did you start working at JFM?
I took up International Studies in university where oneof the foreign language courses I had was Nihongo. After
graduation, I worked as a cultural assistant at the Japan
Information and Cultural Center (JICC), where I was in chargeof the library, and Nihongo Gakko (Japanese language school)of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines.

Mrs. Cecilia Aquino, Senior Program Officer,

In 1996, the year before the embassy transferred to its
current location on Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City, The JapanFoundation, Manila (JFM) was established and I was one ofits pioneering employees, together with six other Filipino
colleagues.

Pioneer Employee of JFM“Yes, I have aged…indeed, it has been 20 years” – C.E.J.
Aquino30

What is your role at JFM? Could you give
us a glimpse of your everyday office life?
I am the Senior Program Officer; I am incharge of Japanese-language education
and administration. I also coordinate
grants and provide assistance on
Japanese Studies programs – andto some extent – on other cultural
programs where I work closely withlocal counterpart organizations andacademic institutions.
Today, the JFM has relatively grownwith 30 employees who report on aregular basis and a few more parttime staff. I like the “internationalized”
working environment. Somehow, it is adaily dose of cultural exchange itself –an immersion program where cultural
knowledge is transmitted and labor isshared in various activities.
You have been working with theJapanese for a few decades now, what isyour impression of the Japanese?
They are courteous, polite andprofessional in their dealings. They are
disciplined and hard working. I also
admire their promptness which I have
tried to practice myself. A 9:00 a.m.
31

appointment is actually at 8:50 a.m.
Filipinos who will work with Japanesepeople or companies should keep thisin mind; and a “no” is often implied, so
one should be careful with that.
Indeed, I value these desirable traitsof the Japanese and it certainly makes
working in a foreign organization botha pleasure and an honor.
What can you say about the past andpresent directors and assistant directorsof JFM, your “bosses?”
From Mr. Yukio Oshida, JFM’s first
director, and Mr. Hiroyuki Kojima,
the first assistant director – both ofwhom deserve to be recognized as
the right men to have led JFM in its
baby steps – to Mr. Hiroaki Uesugi,
who was former assistant director andis its current director, and assistantdirectors Mr. Tetsuya Koide and Mr.
Taro Naritomi – I can say that each ofthem has valuable characteristics thatmake them unique lead persons of JFM.
We have had the Japanese gentleman,
the Philippine specialist, the “sailingsmoothly” director, the considerate, theenergetic and the smart, the jolly good
fellow returnee, and even the one witha pleasant personality and the IT man– JFM’s own breed of Ambassadors of
Goodwill!
Any word of advice to younger
colleagues?
If you love your work and would like tokeep it, avoid intrigues/idle talk. Keepmatters on a professional level.
Twenty years? No regrets. For me, what
could be better than working with anorganization that adheres to goodwill
through cultural exchange, mutual
understanding and appreciation?

The Japan Foundation, Manila
20th Anniversary Logo
For 20 years, JFM has continuously promoted arts, cultural and intellectual

exchanges between Japanese and Filipinos, as well as Japanese-language
education in the Philippines. Indeed, it has grown to become one of theleading cultural institutions that bridge the cultures of the Philippines andJapan. The 20th Anniversary Logo illustrates this through the unique use of
the colors that are associated with both countries. The red circle marks the“rising sun” of Japan. The blue and red stripes as well as the three yellow stars
symbolize the Philippines. At the same time, the three stars also symbolize
the three pillars of JFM: arts and cultural exchange, Japanese studies andintellectual exchange and Japanese-language education overseas. The squareshape of the logo emphasizes the mutual understanding between Japan and
the Philippines promoted through the efforts of JFM. The waves demonstratethat JFM will continue to flow and bring the Japanese and Filipino cultures andtheir peoples together.