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Would you like to help build a “Japanese Town” in a prime location of the Philippines?

I am looking for people who are able to collaborate and plan together to help make one of my ideas a reality..

This is a project that will build a “Town Platform” for making everyone involved happy — a project through which all can fulfill their dreams together.

In order for the project to move forward, it will of course require people, things, money, and information. But what I have in mind isn’t about making personal profit. What I place the most importance on is having an unforgettable time with others while thinking of others' happiness

First of All

When you mention Japan, the first image that comes to people's minds is the rich scenery that can be enjoyed during the four seasons. Besides that, cleanliness and safety come to mind as well. Going by what foreigners have told us, however, it seems they generally enjoy the traditional parts of Japan, such as Mt.Fuji, cherry blossoms, hot springs, Japanese shrines, the traditional Japanese kimonos, the idea of ninjas in our history, and traditional Japanese cuisine; as well as the more modern ones, such as anime culture, vending machines being everywhere, not to mention toilets with bidets , etc. Thanks to this, over 2.7 million foreigner tourists have come to Japan this year, as of June 2018, up by 15.3% compared to last year.（Source: Data from the Japan National Tourism Organization ）

The President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has visited Japan twice [The first time was from October 25th 2016 (Tue) to 27th (Wed) and the second time was from October 29th 2017 (Sun) to 31st (Tue)].

The Philippines, the country where it’s summer all year long, has become the most popular traveling destination among Japanese. The Philippines is an English-speaking country that can be reached from Japan in just 5 hours. Because of this, many Japanese visit the Philippines, not just for sightseeing, but also for language study.

However, because of visa and financial issues, the number of Filipinos that can travel to Japan is extremely limited. I have decided to dedicate my life to making it possible for Filipinos to experience Japanese culture more easily.

Towns in Japan Modeled After Foreign Places

Kanagawa prefecture (Yokohama City) has Chinatown, Tokyo (Shinjuku ward) has Korean Town, Chiba Prefecture (Sodegaura city) has German village, Gunma Prefecture (Ora district) has Brazil Town...but still no town is representing the Philippines despite our friendly ties with the country. That’s why I have filed an application to make one of Tokyo’s prime locations into a “Philippine Town.” More details can be found here.

Towns in Japan Modeled After Foreign Places

Kanagawa prefecture (Yokohama City) has Chinatown, Tokyo (Shinjuku ward) has Korean Town, Chiba Prefecture (Sodegaura city) has German village, Gunma Prefecture (Ora district) has Brazil Town...but still no town is representing the Philippines despite our friendly ties with the country. That’s why I have filed an application to make one of Tokyo’s prime locations into a “Philippine Town.” More details can be found here.

About Japan

Japan’s population is around 127 million. This is the tenth largest population among the 196 countries in the world. It’s area is about 378,000 km2, which makes Japan the 62nd largest country in the world. As of 2016, Japan’s GDP is 4.9385 trillion dollars (approx. 500 trillion yen), which is the 3rdhighest in the world.

The Demand for a “Japanese Town”

The Economic Growth of Both Countries

Japan and the Philippines are in a mutually-beneficial relationship. In 2017 it was announcedthat the total amount of financial aid given from Japan to the Philippines,through comprehensive economic cooperation in conjunction with Official Development Assistance (ODA) and private investments, reached 1 trillion yen.
Not only that, if the Philippines were to see an increase in Japanese run businesses, and if the realization of joint ventures and activities increased and/or were made more visible, it would lead to economic growth for both countries, pushing our relationship far beyond mere economic support.
Furthermore, by incorporating cultural elements of both countries, we would be able to make use of new marketing methods that have appeared along with the rise and evolution of SNS. Not only would this lead to lower labor costs for Japan,Filipino workers could also expect more employment opportunities.

Improving Japanese People's English Skills

Currently, Japan ranks 37th in the world in terms of English level. That is 9th place in Asia(According to 2017 EF EPI). It’s a pretty dismal situation.
MEXT(Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) will be commencing new “Foreign Language Activities” throughout country, starting in 2020. If Japan creates friendlier ties with the Philippines, a country where English is an official language, and both countries set up environments that are easier for citizens of the other to live in, it will natural make English a more familiar language for the Japanese which will result in an overall improvement of English skill.

What Kind of Town to Build

My concept for a Japanese Town in the Philippineswillinclude high safety standards and will be a center for both language schools and Japanese companies. While making good use of the climate and vegetation of the Philippines, we will pursue and reproduce architecture and a vibe that feels like it’s straight out of Japan. Above all, we will strive for an environment where Filipinos can communicate with Japanese and get a feel for Japanese culture and its charm.

The Location for the Model and its Significance

First of all, I want to gather information on what location in the Philippines would be the most plausible and most suitable. In this location, I would like to create a collaborative tourist attraction that incorporates an array of Japanese traditions from all over Japan, for instance Kyoto and its strong influence of traditional culture.

In recent years, while Japan is often praised for its outstanding safety and cleanliness, as a country, we tend to forget about getting in touch with nature, and we’re even communicating with each other less and less.

Besides that, because of technological advances, we have a world where people are taking the things they have for granted. This is a tragedy that makes people forget to be thankful. Those who only receive, end up thinking that it is completely normal to do so.

I think it’s necessary to understand the background behind how things are made, what happens to animals before we eat them, what draws people together and connects them, and how money changes in “shape”: such as how it becomes company’s sales and is returned to the employees afterwards.

For that reason, I aim to make a “Town Platform” that doesn’t sweep factors such as people, things, money and the environment under the rug.

Having a comfortable environment to live in is important, but I feel that many Japanese people in our current society are forgetting something important.

I think that one should make an environment in which they can look beyond their own happiness and can sincerely rejoice at the happiness of others.

It is necessary for us to constantly shift our perspectives and change the way we perceive things. Because a person who is in a different position will see things differently.

We should see things from a wider perspective, from a bigger one.

I am positive that when we are able to accept diversity that they hadn’t previously noticed, new environments can be created.

In Conclusion

Do you know that it’s extremely difficult for people from the Philippines to visit Japan? One of the reasons for that is because their commodity prices are 1/8 of Japan’s whilethe cost of labor is about 1/10.

The second reason is due to the immigration regulations between Japan and the Philippines. In the 1980s, during the so-called “bubble economy” period in Japan, the Philippines was known for being “near, cheap and fun,” which made it a popular tourist destination.

On the other hand, because many Filipino women came to Japan to do customer service jobs, many Japanese still associate Filipino women with hostess bars referred to as “Snacks.”
However, among the many Filipino workers that came to Japan, some were taken advantage of by crooked “brokers” who exploited these women’s genuine ambitions of wanting to make money for their beloved families back home. Many women were made tolearn dances and different types of entertainment and were sent off to Japan as entertainers.
They were made to acquireso-called “entertainer visas”. Full of hope, they would come to Japan only to be dispatched to a small hostess club, after which, most were forced to fake marriage in order to obtain permanent residency.

This was pointed out by the American government. In 2017, the Japanese government got rid of the entertainer visa (ARB) between Japan and the Philippines and imposed immigration regulations.

As a Japanese, I feel apologetic and regret the outcome of this situation. I want to be a sponsor for Filipinos and legally increase employment for Filipinos once again.
I am certain that Filipinos, with their pure and innocent demeanor, will be the very ones to bring big change to relations between Japan and the Philippines from here on out.

Thank you for reading until the end.