Relationship in Okinawa and Davao intensifies
The city of Davao, Philippines, played host to a high-level delegation led by Okinawa Vice Governor Hon. Oshiro Hajime from July 23 to 24, 2025. The courtesy call at The Royal Mandaya Hotel aimed to reinforce the longstanding friendship and cultural ties between Okinawa and Davao City, with a focus on strengthening cultural relations, expanding business opportunities, and exploring potential direct air connectivity.
The visit was a significant milestone, reaffirming the mutual respect and collaboration between the two regions. Vice Governor Oshiro highlighted the cultural relationship between Okinawans and Dabawenyo, which dates back to World War 2, and expressed his joy over the warm reception of the delegation in Davao City, particularly as it was his first visit.
Acting Mayor Sebastian Duterte expressed optimism about the Japanese officials present during the courtesy call, while Atty. Rachel Zozobrado, Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz, Ragde Niño Ibuyan, Ms. April Marie C. Dayap, the officer-in-Charge at the Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC), and Harvey James Lanticse, the Officer-in-Charge at the City Information Office (CIO) were present to discuss the possibilities.
The discussions highlighted expanding business collaboration, with economic ties potentially reaching around 322 million dollars. This indicates significant investment and trade prospects between Okinawa and Davao. Part of the dialogue aimed at establishing direct air connectivity to facilitate smoother travel for tourism, trade, and cultural exchanges. Although concrete flight routes or airline agreements were not explicitly detailed in available reports, the possibility of a direct air connection between Davao City and Okinawa was discussed, which could greatly benefit tourism and other relations.
In summary, the 2025 delegation visit strengthens Okinawa-Davao ties culturally and economically, while advancing dialogue toward direct flight connections to support the growing relationship. However, specifics on direct air routes remain to be confirmed in future negotiations. The visit emphasized bridging cultures through various activities symbolizing mutual respect and collaboration, fostering deeper people-to-people connections. The long-standing relationship between Okinawa and Davao City was not repeated in this article for the sake of clarity and conciseness.
- The delegation's visit to Davao City in 2025 not only boosted the economic ties between Okinawa and Davao, potentially reaching a significant 322 million dollars, but also highlighted the importance of direct air connectivity to facilitate tourism, trade, and cultural exchanges.
- Vice Governor Oshiro's visit to Davao City marked a significant milestone in the long-standing friendship between Okinawa and Davao City, as he expressed joy over the warm reception and emphasized the cultural relationship between the two regions, which dates back to World War 2.
