Highlights of JENESYS2023 Activities Reported in March 2024
JENESYS2023 aims to promote mutual trust and understanding among the peoples of Japan, ASEAN Member States, and Timor-Leste, to build a basis for future friendship and cooperation, as well as to encourage an understanding of various aspects of Japan. The project is supported by the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF). These are the highlights of JENESYS2023 reported by Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) in March 2024:
JENESYS2023 ASEAN Online Alumni Meeting II
On 15 March, JICE held “JENESYS2023 ASEAN Online Alumni Meeting Ⅱ”, which includes lecture by an entrepreneur and Sakura drawing session.
First, the lecture was delivered by Mr. TAO Keitaroh of BLJ Philippines Inc., who runs a KARAAGE (fried chicken) shop using local native chicken raised in Negros, Philippines. His business is also a social business that solves the economic instability of local farmers. The message “Create Social Action out of Nothing” from a lecturer inspired the alumni participants so much. Inspired alumni will take action to improve society like him.
As the Sakura or cherry blossom season will soon arrive in Japan, the participants enjoyed the Sakura party after the lecture.
Ms. YAMAGUCHI Wakako of True Japan Tour Co., Ltd., a Japanese culture professional, introduced Japanese culture related to SAKURA. She used a brush to paint cherry blossoms while live painting and the participants followed. At the end, everybody took pictures with the Sakura that they had drawn.
JENESYS Timor-Leste-Japan Environmental Conservation Activities Exchange
A total of 10 participants from Timor-Leste visited Japan as part of the JENESYS Project from March 5th to 12th.
They visited Tokyo and Fukui prefecture. In Tokyo, they had a theme-related lecture by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and learnt about water supply in Japan. They also had theme-related observations at the Sunamachi Water Reclamation Centre and the Tokyo Waterworks Historical Museum. They then enjoyed Asakusa and experienced Japanese culture.
In Fukui Prefecture, which is famous for its abundant spring water, they had a theme-related lecture on the water cycle and groundwater in Ono City. And they enjoyed an opinion exchange with the members of NGO CROP which serves coffee made from Timor-Leste coffee beans and groundwater in Ono. Then they observed Echizen Great Buddha, Maruoka Castle and Yokokan Garden.
At the homestay, they were warmly welcomed by the host families and spent an unforgettable time with them. They enjoyed the life in the Japanese satoyama, making tempura of wild vegetables, pounding mochi, chatting with neighbors and the beautiful snowy landscape!
JENESYS2023 The Philippines-Japan Cultural Exchange
Nine Japanese students had a good time in the Philippines and visited the country from 27 February to 5 March. They gave presentations on youth culture, and real life in Japan at the University of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University. They also introduced yukata, calligraphy, and Japanese toys to students at these universities and they enjoyed interacting with each other.
At the homestay, they impressed the warm Filipino family love, delicious Filipino food, and Filipino culture. This one-week program helped deepen the friendship between Japan and the Philippines!
JENESYS2023 Timor-Leste-Japan Agricultural Exchange
A total of 5 participants from Timor-Leste visited Japan as part of the JENESYS Project from March 5th to 12th. They visited Tokyo and Tochigi prefecture.
In Tokyo, they had theme-related lectures and observations such as “Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries” and “LEAF FACTORY TOKYO”. They also enjoyed Asakusa and learned Japanese culture.
In Tochigi, they visited Sano city. They made a courtesy call to Mr. KANEKO Yutaka, the mayor of Sano city, and then they tried on “Kimono-fuku” and participated in the Sano historical and cultural tour. Then they had a lot of experiences such as shiitake mushroom picking, strawberry picking, theme-related lectures at “JA Sano”, and opinion exchange with KANENTAI (Regional revitalization Team).
The highlight was definitely homestay! They enjoyed various things such as pounding rice (mochi-tsuki), eating very fresh tomatoes, planting the peach tree, and the festival held in a shrine. They had a precious time with host families.
JENESYS Malaysia-Japan Cultural Exchange
Nine Japanese university students visited Malaysia to deepen their understanding of the two countries and foster friendship through school exchange, homestay, SATREPS project site visit, and courtesy visits to the Embassy of Japan and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Malaysia.
The students visited two schools, University Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) and University Putra Malaysia (UPM), and had a campus tour to feel the characteristics of each university, which included airplane and ship simulator experience and sugarcane harvesting experience, etc. The students from both countries introduced the culture and attractions of their countries. The JENESYS delegation introduced the appeal of Japanese food and the Japanese spirit and culture(calligraphy, flower arrangement, martial arts, etc.). Students from UPNM and UPM introduced traditional Malaysian games, sweets, traditional costumes, Arabic calligraphy, dance, etc., and the participants were able to make many friends through the cultural exchange. The Japanese students were also warmly welcomed by host families at their homestays, giving them a taste of Malaysian home life.
At the UPM-UTM OTEC Center, the SATREPS project site, the participants deepened their understanding of the cooperative relationship between Japan and Malaysia by inspecting the development and research facilities for ocean thermal energy conversion suitable for Malaysia.
During a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the participants had the opportunity to interact with JENESYS alumni (participants of the 2023 Invitation Program). They also deepened their understanding of Malaysian culture and history through visits to the Tianhou Palace, Batu Caves, Pink Mosque, and the National Museum of Malaysia.
Commemorating the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation JENESYS ASEAN-Japan Sports (Rugby) × SDGs Exchange
77 students and others from ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste visited Japan from February 19th to 26th for the JENESYS ASEAN Project.
In Tokyo, a courtesy call to Mr. KOMURA Masahiro, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs and a keynote lecture on 50 years of ASEAN-Japan relationships by Mr. YAZAWA Hideki, Principal Deputy Director, Regional Policy Division, Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan was conducted.
In Fukuoka, the participants visited Japan Base and played tag rugby together with the participants from other countries there.
All participants enjoyed playing tag rugby with overcoming the language barrier and understanding cultural differences.
In Saitama, the participants visited Rugby Stadium, Kumagaya sports culture park which was the venue for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. They toured the facilities there and watched the game of the National Elementary School Tag Rugby Tournament. At the reporting session, they presented various “Action plans”.
