JAKARTA – On March 9, 2026, nearly 30 students from Niigata Meikun High School visited the ASEAN Secretariat for a study tour guided by the Mission of Japan to ASEAN. The visit offered students first-hand insights into regional diplomacy and the longstanding partnership between Japan and the ASEAN region.

During the session, Kazuko Takabatake, Project Coordinator of the ASEAN-MAFF HRD Project, delivered a presentation on ongoing regional initiatives within the agricultural sector. This was followed by an overview from Michiko Umezaki, Chief Advisor of the ASEAN-JICA Food Value Chain Development Project (AJFVC), who explained the project’s role in strengthening food value chain across Southeast Asia.

After the overview of the two ASEAN Cooperation Projects, the students visited and observed the project office of AJFVC.