THE Japanese government's travel advisory for Mindanao has still not changed, despite the Consul General in Davao City's constant lobbying to lower it.
Consul General in Davao City Ishikawa Yoshihisa, during the opening and blessing of the Fujifilm Philippines' Davao Office on July 23, 2024, said that he devoted himself to lowering the travel advisory of the Japanese government against Mindanao island, including Davao City.
"Just several weeks ago I went to Japan and I talked to many and had discussions with Japanese government officials, and I really would like to change (the advisory) because the advisory doesn't reflect the reality, Davao City is relatively most safest city in Southeast Asia," ConGen Ishikawa said during an interview with the media.
He, however, said that although there are parts of Mindanao that are still dangerous for tourists, Davao City remains to be among the safest cities in Asia.
On February 15, 2024, during the National Day Reception and 64th Birthday of Japanese Emperor Naruhito at SMX Center in Lanang, Davao City, Ishikawa admitted that Japan, like other governments worldwide, issued a travel advisory in Mindanao and that he has been working to amend it.
However, he added that Japan's travel advisory against Mindanao is much lighter compared to other foreign governments like US, Canada, Australia, France, and UK.
In the Japan travel advisory, all provinces in Davao Region were placed under level 2, while all of the cities were placed under level 1.
Level 1 advises the Japanese to take extra care; Level 2 means to refrain from traveling if non-essential and non-urgent, while Level 3 warns travelers to refrain from traveling at any time.
Ishikawa, during the same event, admitted that the Japanese government issued the travel advisory because of the concept of the public that "Mindanao is dangerous."
He said that he has been receiving feelers from different sectors, including investors, tourists, and students signifying their interest in Davao.
In his New Year's message the consul general said he is exerting efforts to downgrade the Japanese government’s travel advisory to Japanese nationals traveling to the Mindanao region.
"I want Mindanao to be closer to Japanese citizens and am determined to promote Japan-Mindanao relations in various fields," he stated.
"If we succeed in amending the travel advisory, many Japanese companies, investors, tourists, and students will surely come to Mindanao, especially Davao," Ishikawa said in his speech during the Emperor's birthday.
The Canadian government retains its travel advisory to Central and Eastern Mindanao. It advises its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the following provinces of Mindanao island due to the risk of kidnapping and high levels of crime: Agusan del Norte; Agusan del Sur; Bukidnon; Davao de Oro; Davao del Norte; Davao del Sur, excluding Davao City; Davao Occidental; Davao Oriental; Misamis Oriental; Surigao del Norte, excluding Siargao Island; and Surigao del Sur. CEA
