FY2025 Training Program for Local Staff in Japan (19th to 26th October 2025) Local staff, Hudson Kalaeda
2025/12/19
As a member of the local staff at the Embassy of Japan in Solomon Islands, I was privileged to be selected to attend the FY2025 Local Staff Training Program at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo, Japan. The program was held from 19th to 26th October, 2025. A total of 60 participants were selected from more than 5600 local staff members worldwide, in recognition of our outstanding performance and commitment.
The Training program has three categories, Senior (20), Public Diplomacy (20) and Consular (20). I was fortunate to be in the Senior category along with the other 19 participants from Europe, Africa, Middle-East, Asia, Oceania, North America, Central America and South America.
My participation at the program was a defining moment of my career at the Embassy and a history as well, since this was the first time for a local staff from the Embassy of Japan in Solomon Islands to be accepted and part take in this program. It was possible through a strong recommendation from the Embassy and I am thankful for support rendered by the embassy staffs that enabled me to successfully participate in the program.
The Training Program was well-defined, highly informative and multi-dimensional, focusing on various areas that influence Japan’s foreign policy and the role local staff played. The lectures which were given covered thorough explanations on the important roles that Local Staff within Japan’s Embassies around the world play, as well as the overview of the international situation and outlook for Japan’s diplomacy.
Apart from the lectures, we also had the opportunity to visit some prominent historical places in Tokyo like Happo-en, Toyosu Market, Diplomatic Archives, Fukagawa Edo Museum, Tokyo Sky Tree, Meiji Jingu Shrine and Honjo Disaster Prevention Center. In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided participants with an opportunity to also undertake ‘personal training’ and explore Japan on our own. I took this opportunity to visit 2 JICA facilities, the National Diet Library and had meetings with Ship for World Youth Program Group in Tokyo a former Ambassador to Solomon Islands and former Embassy Colleagues who are living and working in Tokyo.
The training program also provided us with an opportunity on October 20th to make a courtesy call on Mr Hisayuki FUJII, State Minister for Foreign Affairs at the MOFA office in Tokyo. This was the highlight of the program as each participant was given an opportunity to personally exchange words with the Minister and a photoshoot thereafter. I took that opportunity to convey my sincere appreciation to the government of Japan for granting me the opportunity to part take in this program and to work at the Embassy of Japan in Solomon Islands for the last 16 years. In response, he gave encouragement for me to further strengthen my professional motivation through this program to actively contribute to the daily operations of the embassy. State Foreign Minister FUJII expressed his heartfelt appreciation for the dedicated contributions to Japan’s diplomatic missions abroad, describing us as a genuine source of pride for the nation and hoped that our efforts will continue to contribute to the enhancement of Japan’s diplomatic endeavours across the globe.
I also found the training as a great opportunity to learn about Japanese culture and history. This included exposure to Japanese cuisine and etiquette and also visiting a number of historical places. The visit to the Diplomatic Archives exposed participants to the exhibits of valuable treaties and other historical documents from the end of the Tokugawa period to the present day. A glance into Japan’s past through the exhibits gave me an opportunity to travel back in history through the diplomatic journey Japan took to present. As a local staff at the embassy, this exposure gave me a renewed purpose as a local staff knowing that what I have been doing and will continue to do contributes to something bigger than myself, and is making a positive contribution to enhancing the diplomatic relations between Japan and Solomon Islands.
In conclusion, Japan has always been a big influence on my life. My first overseas trip was to Japan in 1999 to participate in the Ship for World Youth Program, which totally captured my interest of the country since then. This lead me to spending almost 10 years (1999-2008) in Japan for study and work. And then upon returning in 2008, I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to work at the Embassy since then. From this training program, I was able to further strengthen my interest of the country after more than 15 years of absence. Despite the short time spent in Japan, I was able to gain valuable experiences and renew my connections to Japan through the lectures, sites visited and the many meetings I had with former embassy colleagues and friends in Japan. I am sure that this training program had further renewed my interest and connection to Japan.
The Training program has three categories, Senior (20), Public Diplomacy (20) and Consular (20). I was fortunate to be in the Senior category along with the other 19 participants from Europe, Africa, Middle-East, Asia, Oceania, North America, Central America and South America.
My participation at the program was a defining moment of my career at the Embassy and a history as well, since this was the first time for a local staff from the Embassy of Japan in Solomon Islands to be accepted and part take in this program. It was possible through a strong recommendation from the Embassy and I am thankful for support rendered by the embassy staffs that enabled me to successfully participate in the program.
The Training Program was well-defined, highly informative and multi-dimensional, focusing on various areas that influence Japan’s foreign policy and the role local staff played. The lectures which were given covered thorough explanations on the important roles that Local Staff within Japan’s Embassies around the world play, as well as the overview of the international situation and outlook for Japan’s diplomacy.
Apart from the lectures, we also had the opportunity to visit some prominent historical places in Tokyo like Happo-en, Toyosu Market, Diplomatic Archives, Fukagawa Edo Museum, Tokyo Sky Tree, Meiji Jingu Shrine and Honjo Disaster Prevention Center. In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided participants with an opportunity to also undertake ‘personal training’ and explore Japan on our own. I took this opportunity to visit 2 JICA facilities, the National Diet Library and had meetings with Ship for World Youth Program Group in Tokyo a former Ambassador to Solomon Islands and former Embassy Colleagues who are living and working in Tokyo.
The training program also provided us with an opportunity on October 20th to make a courtesy call on Mr Hisayuki FUJII, State Minister for Foreign Affairs at the MOFA office in Tokyo. This was the highlight of the program as each participant was given an opportunity to personally exchange words with the Minister and a photoshoot thereafter. I took that opportunity to convey my sincere appreciation to the government of Japan for granting me the opportunity to part take in this program and to work at the Embassy of Japan in Solomon Islands for the last 16 years. In response, he gave encouragement for me to further strengthen my professional motivation through this program to actively contribute to the daily operations of the embassy. State Foreign Minister FUJII expressed his heartfelt appreciation for the dedicated contributions to Japan’s diplomatic missions abroad, describing us as a genuine source of pride for the nation and hoped that our efforts will continue to contribute to the enhancement of Japan’s diplomatic endeavours across the globe.
I also found the training as a great opportunity to learn about Japanese culture and history. This included exposure to Japanese cuisine and etiquette and also visiting a number of historical places. The visit to the Diplomatic Archives exposed participants to the exhibits of valuable treaties and other historical documents from the end of the Tokugawa period to the present day. A glance into Japan’s past through the exhibits gave me an opportunity to travel back in history through the diplomatic journey Japan took to present. As a local staff at the embassy, this exposure gave me a renewed purpose as a local staff knowing that what I have been doing and will continue to do contributes to something bigger than myself, and is making a positive contribution to enhancing the diplomatic relations between Japan and Solomon Islands.
In conclusion, Japan has always been a big influence on my life. My first overseas trip was to Japan in 1999 to participate in the Ship for World Youth Program, which totally captured my interest of the country since then. This lead me to spending almost 10 years (1999-2008) in Japan for study and work. And then upon returning in 2008, I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to work at the Embassy since then. From this training program, I was able to further strengthen my interest of the country after more than 15 years of absence. Despite the short time spent in Japan, I was able to gain valuable experiences and renew my connections to Japan through the lectures, sites visited and the many meetings I had with former embassy colleagues and friends in Japan. I am sure that this training program had further renewed my interest and connection to Japan.
