The JENESYS 2017 Japan-ASEAN Football Exchange Programme which started on Monday 5 March came to an end on Thursday 15 March. Following the conclusion of the Football Exchange Tournament in Miyazaki, players and board members from 9 countries of ASEAN along with those from Timor-Leste has made their ways to Tokyo to participate in the International Exchange Programme.

On Tuesday 13 March, the participants made a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, where they were joined by Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Mitsunari OKAMOTO and Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) Ms. Masako Kishimoto. After Mr. Okamoto gave a welcome speech, a player from the Indonesia team returned a speech of appreciation, and the souvenirs were presented.

The participants then visited the Japan Football Museum, enjoying themselves by taking pictures with trophies and shopping. Players from the U-16 Vietnam National Team and the U-16 Thailand National Team, who played each other in the semi-final, were seen playing table-soccer together, displaying international interaction.

The day capped off with a visit to the AFC Champions League match between Kashima Antlers and Sydney FC. Participants observed the game closely as for many it was their first time to see the AFC Champions League in person. Some of the players were seen mimicking the cheers and chants of the Kashima Antlers’ fans, and everyone seemed to enjoy the match.

The group were then taken to experience Zen meditation and the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation on Wednesday 14 March, before making their way back to their countries on Thursday 15 March.

Comments

IZZ FAWWAZ ANIQ BIN MOHD NIZAM (U-16 Singapore National Team)
It was a wonderful time and I enjoyed it so much. I was able to deepen my understanding of Japanese culture.

DINH THE NAM, Board Member (U-16 Vietnam National Team)
We were able to observe a brilliant match that was created by great supporters and players in Kashima. Both teams played an up-tempo match, and I think it provided a great learning experience for the young players. It also gave us a time to rethink about our attitude and involvement in football.

MUHAMMAD AIQAL BIN RASMAN, Board Member (U-16 Malaysia National Team)
This gave us a great opportunity to learn about the Japanese culture, society, lifestyle, and people. Also, through the football exchange tournament we were able to improve our team performance and learn about sportsmanship and unity. I hope that this programme will continue on to deepen the understanding of soccer and culture between Japan and the ASEAN counties.

MAIL BIN TANJONG, Board Member (U-16 Brunei Darussalam National Team)
Although the schedule was very tight, overall it was a great programme. We learned so much from all the participating people from different countries. We need to implement what we learned here to make our world a better place to live. Football is a great platform in which we can all gather and give us the opportunity to learn from each other.

About the “JENESYS2017” Programme

The JENESYS Programme (Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths) is a project advanced by the Japanese government from the standpoint of providing a sound foundation for strong solidarity within Asian and Oceanian countries through large-scale youth exchange. Aimed to promote mutual understanding and friendly relations, JICE oversees the programme by accepting, dispatching, and exchanging leaders of the next generation.

For more information, please visitthe official websiteof the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.