Chiba Gov. Kensaku Morita visited Malaysia and Thailand from Aug. 31, to Sept. 5, 2015, to hold promotional campaigns on the attractions of Chiba.

In Malaysia, Gov. Morita invited Minister of Tourism and Culture Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz to Mitsui Outlet Park, which was opened on the premises of Kuala Lumpur International Airport just this year, and publicized pears and other specialties in Chiba Prefecture.

Gov. Morita agreed in a meeting with Minister of Education Mahdzir Khalid to promote exchanges between Chiba Prefecture schools and those in Malaysia. To that end, Gov. Morita proposed to dispatch schoolteachers from the prefecture to Malaysia. The education minister agreed to the proposal and offered to dispatch Malaysian officials to Chiba Prefecture to further promote exchanges between the prefecture and Malaysia.

The governor offered flowers to the victims of an explosion at Erawan Shrine in Bangkok, Thailand, which occurred shortly before his departure from Japan. When he had an audience with Her Royal Highness Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Gov. Morita expressed his condolences to the victims of the incident and handed to the Princess a message of condolence, which he had been entrusted with by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The governor then presented pears and melons produced in Chiba Prefecture to the Princess, and told her that exchanges between Chiba Prefecture and Thailand have been deepened since his visit to Thailand three years ago.

Gov. Morita also signed a memorandum with the Thai Ministry of Industry on the facilitation of small and medium-sized companies' international business activities. He also recommended to Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul that Thai athletes in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics hold a training session in Chiba Prefecture prior to the Games. In a meeting with major retailers and importers, Gov. Morita received positive responses to his request for further cooperation in strengthening sales of Chiba agricultural and fishery products in the Thai market.

The Chiba Prefectural Government as a whole will follow up the promotional campaigns the governor conducted in Malaysia and Thailand with various measures with the goal of expanding exchanges between the prefecture and these two countries.