President 'Tommy E. Re-mengesau returned from a 3-day trip to the City of Geru in the Gifu prefecture of Japan on September 2, 2017. Remengesau was in Japan by invitation of a Japanese religious organization (Kurakara) that helped build two WWII monuments in Peleliu honoring those that lost their lives in the war.
President Remengesau held meetings with religious leaders and corporate leaders as well as top cultural events organizers in Japan.
He encouraged greater "people to people" exchange programs. "It has only been a little over a year since I met with His Excellency Prime Minister Abe at PALM 7 to discuss the importance of our respective peoples understanding each other's cultures," stated Remengesau in his Address to Gero Group which has arranged through Priestess Morishita of Kurakara Temple to bring 50 high school students to Palau next year.
In his meeting with Geru group, they also expressed intentions to visit Palau in December and to create an organization called "We Love and Support Palau" to work with the Office of the President to continue "people to people" exchange programs. "I am certain that the visitors from Geru will enjoy their visit to Palau and I am sure that they will appreciate the natural biodiversity and unique culture Palau has to offer that is very different but just as magnificent as the beautiful mountains of Geru.
The warmth of the ocean and the colors of the flourishing life beneath will be a wonder the visitors from Geru and the high school student from Ritsumeikan will enjoy....I hope that our work will become tradition among friends to continue learning and understanding between peoples of our two countries," expressed Remengesau. Remengesau was accompanied at this meeting by Economic and Japan Relations Advisory Mr. Donald Haruo, Peleliu State Governor Ternmy Shmull and his Press Secretary Olkeriil Kazuo. Palau recently executed a joint venture and concession agreement with two companies from Japan to build, expand and improve Palau's International Terminal. It is expected that the two companies JATCO and SOJITZ will be bringing a lot of Japanese customers as well as inter-national customers to Palau through their marketing networks.
