Opening Remark

    Fukuoka City has long been promoting international exchanges focusing on Asia through projects including the Asia-Pacific Children's Convention in Fukuoka, which started in the same year that the Asia Pacific Exposition was held. Currently, Fukuoka City has the third highest number of diplomatic offices among designated cities, and the second highest ratio of international students to the total poppulation, making it one of Japan's leading international cities.
   
    Meanwhile, many international students who choose to study in Fukuoka City and wish to work in here after graduation, cannot find employment and are forced leave for other prefectures or countries. To respond to this situation, Fukuoka City is considering increasing opportunities for international students to find employments at local companies or to start their own bunsinesses, which may lead to opportunities to settle down in the city.

    At today's event, I would like to discuss, together with international students, participants from local companies and universities and officers from consulated in Fukuoka, how globally-oriented persons can take on active roles in our city.

    Moreover,with former international students who studied in Fukuoka City and former "Junior Ambassadors" at the Asia-Pacific Children's Convention in Fukuoka present here today, we hope to be able to create a new network of globally-oriented people with connections to Fukuoka. By sharing cutting-edge and exceptional initiatives for the development of international students, and by solidifying global bonds amongst those connected to Fukuoka, I would like this event to be the kickoff toward achieving the goals of Fukuoka NEXT, whereby global talents gather and take on active roles in our city.

    By unilizing new knowledge obtained from this event, as well as new networks vcreated here today, we hope to be able expedite our efforts, in collaboration with industry, academic organizations, and government, to develop global talents who not only participate acetively in Fukuoka's economy, but who thrive in it.

    I hope that today's event will be meaningful and profuctive for all participants.