Japanese consul bids goodbye to governor

CEBU, Philippines - Outgoing Japanese Consul in Cebu, Toshio Okajima bid farewell to Governor Gwendolyn Garcia yesterday.

There was supposed to be a farewell for Toshio and a reception dinner for the new consul last night but this was reset next month prompting Toshio to hand over to Garcia his prepared speech.

“Instead of saying goodbye, let me say ‘Mabuhi ang Sinulog, Mabuhi ang One Cebu Expo, Mabuhi ang Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo, Pasalamat sa Senior Sto. Niño’,” Toshio said. He was accompanied by his replacement Consul Yoshiaki Hata.

Toshio also expressed his heartfelt appreciation to Garcia for inviting him many times to the Capitol Social Hall.

“Owing to her such kind of invitation, I am now an enthusiastic fan of the beautiful dancing and singing of the Cebuanos,” he said.

Garcia also took the opportunity to extend her deepest sympathy to the two Japanese diplomats on the recent tragedies that hit Japan.

Toshio said he will go back to his homeland to help his fellowmen victimized by the disasters.

Yoshiaki told reporters that he just arrived in Cebu last Monday and he is excited to be here to continue the friendship between Cebu and Japan.

He said he will assess how the present situation in Japan will affect the business activity in Cebu where there are a lot of locators. – (FREEMAN)