Japan’s Top Diplomats Visit Puerto Princesa to Address Civil Documentation of Filipino-Japanese Descendants
On June 3, 2025, Minister and Consul General Takahiro Hanada and First Secretary Shinobu Kurihara of the Embassy of Japan touched down in Puerto Princesa, Palawan for an important engagement with the local government and Filipino-Japanese descendants (Nikkei-jin).
The officials were warmly welcomed with a traditional dance performance organized by the city’s tourism office, highlighting the deepening cultural ties between Japan and the Philippines. Nikkei-jin representatives from various parts of Palawan gathered in anticipation of what would become a meaningful and potentially life-changing discussion.
Later that afternoon, the Japanese diplomats met with the Governor of Palawan and discussed shared concerns around the civil status documentation of Filipino-Japanese descendants. The main topic: Memorandum of Agreement No. 2024-31, a collaboration between the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and PNJK Rengokai, which seeks to address one of the most common hurdles faced by Nikkei-jin families, delayed or missing birth registration.
Many second-generation descendants (Nisei) either passed away without formal civil registry records or are now too elderly to secure them, making this initiative crucial for both legal identity and ancestral recognition. MOA 2024-31 aims to waive the affidavit requirement from two disinterested persons, greatly simplifying the process for late registrations.
“This is more than paperwork, it’s about being seen by both the Philippine and Japanese governments. It’s a step toward restoring the identity, rights, and dignity of Nikkei-jin,” said one member of the delegation.
The visit closed with gratitude from local Nikkei-jin families and a shared hope that more Filipino-Japanese descendants will be able to reconnect with their roots—and even their families in Japan.