Press Releases
Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs SHIMADA’s attendance at the “Exchange Run between Participants in the Japanese language program for Foreign-Service Officials and Public Officials and the MOFA Marathon Team”
April 21, 2026
On April 21, Mr. SHIMADA Tomoaki, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs participated in the "Exchange Run between participants of the Japanese Language Program for Foreign-Service Officials and Public Officials and the MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Marathon Team," held in Tokyo (Ueno/Asakusa). He delivered a greeting on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to 13 participants from 13 countries (Indonesia, Cambodia, Kenya, Colombia, Republic of Congo, Chile, Togo, Malaysia, South Sudan, Mexico, Maldives, Mongolia and Lao PDR), and then completed the exchange run of approximately 6.5 kilometers, touring Senso-ji Temple and Azuma Bridge, together with the participants and members of the MOFA Marathon Team.
- At the beginning of the exchange run, Parliamentary Vice-Minister SHIMADA stated that many graduates of this training program are active in diplomacy, including becoming ambassadors, and expressed his belief that the Japanese language and culture learned in Japan will surely be a valuable asset for the participants’ future. He also stated that he wishes to deepen friendly relations between Japan and the participants' home countries by running together with those who will be active in the world of diplomacy in the future.
- Parliamentary Vice-Minister SHIMADA encouraged the participants, affirming that running is meaningful for observing the people and nature of Japan at a leisurely pace, and urged them to persevere with their Japanese language training until the very end.
- Afterwards, he deepened his friendship with the participants through an approximately one-hour exchange run, including photo sessions.