Asia

(1) Visit to a Landfill in Payatas (18 November 2015)

Mrs Abe visited a landfill in Payatas in Quezon City, where over 10 percent of nearly 120,000 people living in the area make their livelihood by collecting recyclable waste from the landfill. Mrs Abe spent time listening to the life stories of people in the community including the beneficiaries of Salt Payatas Foundation Philippine Inc., a non-governmental organisation that has been helping to improve the livelihood of women through stitching under the Likha Pangkabuhayan programme. Mrs Abe also offered flowers in memory of the scavengers who died in the avalanche of trash which occurred in the area in 2000.

Mrs Abe had a meeting with Senator Loren Legarda and exchanged views on topics of mutual interests such as environment and agriculture (especially rice farming).

(3)APEC Leaders’ Spouses Programme (19 November 2015)

Mrs Abe participated in the APEC Leaders’ Spouses Programme at the Walled City of Intramuros organised by the sisters of Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, together with other leaders’ spouses.

Mrs Abe visited a foster care shelter for street children in Blumentritt, Manila, run by a Japanese NGO “ICAN”, where she spent time playing and singing with the children and listening to their life stories.

Mrs Abe met selected nurse and careworker candidates undergoing Japanese language training under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) and donated to Nihongo Centre Foundation the “Akie Library”, a collection of books on Japan and the Japanese language.

Mrs Abe had dinner with selected technical intern trainees undergoing pre-departure training at Phil-Nippon Technical College. The training is under the Technical Intern Training Programme, where trainees from developing countries can acquire industrial or professional skills in Japan under an employment contract for 3 years at the longest.

Mrs Abe paid a visit to the Pusat Permata Pintar at the campus of the National University of Malaysia, accompanied by the spouse of the Malaysian Prime Minister Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah binti Mansor, who is the patron of the centre. Pusat Permata Pintar Negara is Malaysia’s only centre of excellence responsible for identifying gifted and talented students from around the country and providing the opportunity to enable them to develop their true potential.

(2) Meeting with Japanese women in Malaysia (20 November 2015)

Mrs Abe met with Japanese women who are active in areas such as business, music, medical industry, Japanese language education in Malaysia over dinner.

Mrs Abe visited the Japanese School of Kuala Lumpur located in Subang, Selangor, which celebrated its 49th foundation anniversary. She had a Q & A session with 28 primary pupils and spent time playing with 85 nursery pupils.
She also planted a tree with some of the pupils to commemorate her visit.

Mrs Abe attended ASEAN Leaders’ Spouses Programme, the ASEAN Food Fiesta Exhibition – ‘Rice That Binds Us’ –,organized by the spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah binti Mansor, together with other leaders’ spouses.

Mrs Abe paid a visit to the Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled in Selangor, one of the 8 centres throughout Malaysia which provide food & lodging, training, education, job placement, counseling, and various services including activities, outings and awareness campaigns for more than 1,000 disabled persons and their family members. Mrs Abe interacted with the disabled members of the centre, enquiring about their work, daily living and ambitions and observing them making handicraft.

On her last day in Malaysia, she paid a special visit to the Kuala Lumpur Japanese Cemetery, which has been in existence since 1899 and is the largest of its kind in Malaysia.

Mrs Abe attended the ASEAN Leaders’ Spouses Programme, “Voices of ASEAN Women: Exploring Business Opportunities for Rural Women”, together with other leaders’ spouses including its host Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah binti Mansor.

(8) The Pure Life Society (22 November 2015)

Mrs Abe visited the Pure Life Society, which runs orphanage housing, among others, for abandoned children and those from broken homes. She had a briefing and sharing session with its management team including Life President Datin Paduka Mother A. Mangalam, who has been called the Malaysian version of Mother Teresa and has more than 30 awards and honours for her work including the Merdeka Award in 2010. Mrs Abe then spent time interacting with the children and planted a tree with Mother Mangalam to commemorate her visit.

Mrs Abe had dinner with Malaysian women playing major roles in areas such as social work, arts, culture and sports.