TWO students from Far Eastern University’s Institute of Accounts, Business, and Finance joined delegates from across the Asia-Pacific region in Japan for the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) Conference held last month.

Jade Ann Ilagan, a BSBA Marketing Management student, and Josh Miguel Tagle, a BSBA Financial Management student, were selected to represent the Philippines under the conference theme on startups and international collaboration.

The weeklong program was organized by the Japan International Cooperation Center as part of the JENESYS Programme—an initiative aimed at deepening cultural understanding and fostering cooperation between Japan and neighboring Asia-Pacific countries.

Activities included sessions at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visits to the ASEAN–Japan Centre and the Tokyo Innovation Base to explore the country’s growing startup ecosystem, and a trip to Tochigi Prefecture to engage with local officials and social enterprise groups. Delegates also participated in a two-day homestay, immersing themselves in Japanese traditions through tea ceremonies, cooking, farming, skiing, and community exchanges.

The program concluded in Tokyo with lectures, workshops, and project presentations before ASEAN and Japanese evaluators, capped by a cultural farewell dinner—highlighting FEU’s commitment to global engagement and youth leadership in ASEAN–Japan cooperation.