ENZ signs education arrangement with Atsugi city

The arrangement was signed between ENZ, the Atsugi City Council and the Atsugi City Board of Education at the New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo on 5 April. 

The signing was preceded by a two-day visit to Wellington by an Atsugi City Board of Education delegation in late March. They met ENZ Chief Executive Grant McPherson, Deputy Mayor of Wellington Jill Day and visited secondary schools.   

Already there are tangible results from the signing. Atsugi city is making plans to send a group of junior high school students on a 10-day study visit in August to Wainuiomata High School, Wellington.

 Misa Kitaoka, ENZ’s Senior Market Development Manager – Japan, said Atsugi city is keen to provide more opportunities for Atsugi’s school students as well as English teachers for teacher training in New Zealand.

Atsugi city will also act as a host town for New Zealand under the Japanese government’s initiative to promote exchanges between Japanese cities and the countries participating in the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.

The education cooperation arrangement is the first of its kind between a Japanese host town and guest country.

Adele Bryant, ENZ’s Regional Director for China and North Asia, said the arrangement will strengthen the education relationship.

“Atsugi city has begun organising a range of activities to foster a strong relationship between the city and New Zealand in sport, culture and education.

“The arrangement has highlighted the range of education exchange initiatives that we could further promote as part of Japan’s ongoing internationalisation agenda leading up to and after the 2020 Olympics,” Adele said.