PH Ambassador Highlights Philippine Culture and Hospitality, and 70th Anniversary of PH-JP Friendship During Visit of Japanese SSEAYP 2027 Participants
Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene J. Garcia-Albano (center) welcomes the thirty-one (31) Japanese participants in the Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Program (SSEAYP) 2027 during a courtesy call at the Embassy on 25 September 2026.
TOKYO, 30 September 2026 – The Philippine Embassy in Japan, led by Ambassador Mylene J. Garcia-Albano, welcomed the thirty-one (31) Japanese participants in the Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Program (SSEAYP) 2027 during a courtesy call at the Embassy on 25 September 2026. The participants are composed of students and representatives from the public and private sectors in the host country.
During the courtesy call, Ambassador Garcia-Albano expressed her gratitude to the Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan for selecting the Philippines as one of the three ports-of-call for the program’s historic 50th batch. “The SSEAYP’s stopover in our country is especially meaningful as we commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Normalization of Diplomatic Relations between the Philippines and Japan this year,” the Ambassador noted.
The SSEAYP 2027 participants from Japan get a preview of the rich history, culture, and best tourist and culinary destinations in the Philippines during a courtesy visit to the Embassy before embarking on their journey to Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, on 03 January to 05 February 2027.
Speaking on behalf of the Japanese delegation, Ms. Emiri MATSUFUJI shared the group’s enthusiasm in meeting their Filipino counterparts and experiencing the unique homestay programme at the port-of-call in the Philippines. She also expressed their hope that their generation would be able to build an even stronger and deeper bond between Japan and Southeast Asia.
SSEAYP is an annual youth exchange program sponsored by the Japanese Government and supported by ASEAN Member States. It brings together over 200 young leaders from Southeast Asia and Japan to live and learn together on board the ship for more than 30 days. Running from 03 January to 05 February 2027, the milestone 50th batch will visit Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Japan.
