​The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, arrived in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, last night (May 21) to begin his visit. Mr Lau first met with the Governor of Kagoshima Prefecture, Mr Satoshi Mitazono, to brief him on Hong Kong's latest developments and explore opportunities for further bilateral collaboration in culture, sports and youth development.
 
     A bilateral youth exchange programme between Hong Kong and Kagoshima had been in operation under the International Youth Exchange Programme of the former Commission on Youth since 1999. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government included this programme in the Youth Ambassadors in Celebration of the Establishment of the HKSAR Programme in 2017, and the Youth Development Commission has continued this youth exchange programme between Hong Kong and Kagoshima with the regularisation of the YDC Youth Ambassadors Programme since last year. Since 1980, the Hong Kong-Kagoshima Conference has been held biennially in Hong Kong and Kagoshima to foster bilateral exchanges, collaboration and liaison in youth development, culture and sports between the two places. 
 
     Today (May 22), Mr Lau visited some community sports facilities in Kagoshima. He will proceed to Takamatsu this afternoon to continue the visit.

Ends/Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Issued at HKT 15:00

NNNN