Philippine Embassy, Kanagawa Prefecture Engage on Multicultural Coexistence
The delegation of the Philippine Embassy in Japan led by First Secretary and Consul Robert D. Quintin (4th from right) pays a courtesy call on officials of the Kanagawa Prefectural Government represented by Mr. Junichi FUJIKI (3rd from left), Ms. Yuriko ISHII (2nd from left), and Mr. Ryohei IIYAMA (leftmost).
YOKOHAMA, 06 February 2026 – The Philippine Embassy in Japan paid a courtesy call on officials of the Kanagawa Prefectural Government in its capital of Yokohama City on 22 January 2026 to gain insights on the prefecture’s advocacies and programs for multicultural coexistence, and its implications for the welfare of Filipinos living in the region.
The Embassy’s delegation, led by First Secretary and Consul Robert D. Quintin, conveyed the appreciation of Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene J. Garcia-Albano for the prefecture’s continued support for the Embassy’s efforts to promote and protect the rights and welfare of Filipinos in Japan.
During the courtesy call, officials from the Kanagawa Prefectural Government’s International Affairs Division led by Mr. Junichi FUJIKI, and the Office for the Promotion of Social Inclusion under the supervision of Ms. Yuriko ISHII delivered comprehensive briefings on the historical development and expansion of the region’s foreign resident community, and the development of its multicultural policies that promote the empowerment of foreign residents and their harmonious interactions with local communities.
Of the approximately 284,000 foreign residents in Kanagawa Prefecture, around 26,000 are Filipinos, making our kababayans the fourth-largest foreign community in the area.
The Kanagawa Prefectural Government presented its array of consultation services available to foreign residents in multiple languages, including Tagalog. The Embassy and the prefectural government exchanged views and best practices in addressing issues concerning foreign residents such as domestic violence, labor, education, medical assistance, and legal aid.
The Tagalog brochure of Kanagawa Prefecture’s consultation services for domestic violence cases.
Recognizing the large population of international students in the region, Kanagawa Prefecture introduced to the Embassy the Kanagawa International Fan Club (KANAFAN), which facilitates consultations, cultural exchange events, and job search activities.
The Embassy expressed its openness to collaborate with the prefecture in its activities and programs to bolster cultural exchanges between Filipinos and locals in the region, with the aim of realizing the possibilities of their mutual growth in light of the 70th anniversary of the normalization of Philippines-Japan relations.
Filipinos in Kanagawa Prefecture may explore the services provided by Kanagawa Prefecture by visiting their website.
The brochure of Kanagawa Prefecture’s consultation services for labor concerns.
