To be promoted as the Consulate General of Japan next year.

He speaks Italian, and has worked across Rome, Milan, Sao Paulo (Brazil) and the Marshall Islands, during which he was in-charge of the political affairs, economic, and economic cooperation, and was subsequently relocated to the embassy office. Last year, Mr. Watanabe arrived at the Consulate Office in Cebu, and is celebrating one year of fruitful service this May.

What do you feel most about staying in the Philippines?

I remember witnessing the situation in Cebu during World War II through a video stream in one of the official events in Cebu. It was a painful sight and made me realized the importance of knowing the history of the Philippines and Japan. During the war, a staggering 500,000 Japanese soldiers died in this country, but the number of Filipinos who died was even doubled to about one million. Many civilians, innocent lives as well as Filipino soldiers died in that devastating war. As a result, Japan committed to peace diplomacy after the war and since then, both the public and private sectors have been cooperating with Asian countries, including the Philippines. In these steady efforts, trust and friendship were established. I encourage every Japanese to treasure this in their hearts. Furthermore, during the recent years, the number of tourists and overseas students have vastly increased and Cebu’s economy is rapidly developing. However, unbalanced development is described as one of reasons for hotbed of crime. As a response, we aim to become more reachable for consultation to ensure the security of our Japanese nationals.

What do Japanese people need to ensure safety and security in Cebu?

A "report of residency" must be accomplished for those with over three months stay. Those staying less may report through travel registration. Currently, there are approximately 17,000 registered Japanese in the Philippines and about 2,300 Japanese in Cebu based on the report. This report of residency system is essential for identifying residents, providing a variety of support such as safety information dissemination through e-mail, verifying their safety in times of disaster, and contacting family members in case of trouble. Travel registration provides safety information on your travel destination before your departure and a series of update during your trip. As the consulate office is expected to be promoted to Consulate General next year, we believe that our mission is to establish a consulate general suitable for representing Japan to aid Japanese nationals obtain safety and security.