Over 850 young Japanese businessmen-members of the Junior Chamber International in Japan-started arriving on Saipan on Monday for a cultural exchange with over 200 Saipan residents this afternoon.

The biggest contingency-some 600-will be arriving at 7:30am today aboard the cruise ship Fuji Maru, which departed Nagoya this weekend.

Takashi Nagaoka, manager of PMT, one of the tour agencies in the CNMI, said yesterday that this is the third time that Fuji Maru has visited Saipan; the previous times were in 2006 and 2007.

The other 250 young businessmen arrived by plane on Monday and Tuesday, he added.

“This is the 37th JC Youth Voyage Tokaigo,” he said.

Hiroko Tenorio of the Marianas Visitors Authority said the “friendship party” will be held at 5pm today at the American Memorial Park in Garapan.  

The food booths used at the Taste of the Marianas will be used in today's cultural exchange program between Japanese and CNMI residents, but with different vendors.  

Nagaoka and Tenorio said the visiting businessmen are between the ages of 20 and 40.

“Having over 850 businessmen here will mean good business for retailers and other businesses here. It's good for the economy, and good for cultural exhange,” Nagaoka said.

This is also the biggest group of Japanese businessmen to come to the CNMI in recent years.

Tenorio said Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, Lt. Gov. Eloy S. Inos and other dignitaries have been invited to the “friendship party.”  

Press secretary Angel Demapan confirmed that the governor and the lieutenant governor will be at the event.

“At the American Memorial Park, there will be food booths, cultural dances and games,” Tenorio said.

The hundreds of visiting businessmen will also be touring Saipan's northern part, including the Last Command Post and Banzaii Cliff, on Thursday morning. They will also be going shopping and sightseeing in Garapan before Fuji Maru departs Saipan on Thursday afternoon.

Source: Saipantribune

Over 850 young Japanese businessmen-members of the Junior Chamber International in Japan-started arriving on Saipan on Monday for a cultural exchange with over 200 Saipan residents this afternoon.

The biggest contingency-some 600-will be arriving at 7:30am today aboard the cruise ship Fuji Maru, which departed Nagoya this weekend.

Takashi Nagaoka, manager of PMT, one of the tour agencies in the CNMI, said yesterday that this is the third time that Fuji Maru has visited Saipan; the previous times were in 2006 and 2007.

The other 250 young businessmen arrived by plane on Monday and Tuesday, he added.

“This is the 37th JC Youth Voyage Tokaigo,” he said.

Hiroko Tenorio of the Marianas Visitors Authority said the “friendship party” will be held at 5pm today at the American Memorial Park in Garapan.  

The food booths used at the Taste of the Marianas will be used in today's cultural exchange program between Japanese and CNMI residents, but with different vendors.  

Nagaoka and Tenorio said the visiting businessmen are between the ages of 20 and 40.

“Having over 850 businessmen here will mean good business for retailers and other businesses here. It's good for the economy, and good for cultural exhange,” Nagaoka said.

This is also the biggest group of Japanese businessmen to come to the CNMI in recent years.

Tenorio said Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, Lt. Gov. Eloy S. Inos and other dignitaries have been invited to the “friendship party.”  

Press secretary Angel Demapan confirmed that the governor and the lieutenant governor will be at the event.

“At the American Memorial Park, there will be food booths, cultural dances and games,” Tenorio said.

The hundreds of visiting businessmen will also be touring Saipan's northern part, including the Last Command Post and Banzaii Cliff, on Thursday morning. They will also be going shopping and sightseeing in Garapan before Fuji Maru departs Saipan on Thursday afternoon.

Source: Saipantribune