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First Lady Margaret Kenyatta in Japan for girl education conference

While in Japan, she is also expected to officially launch the 3rd edition of the First Lady's Half Marathon scheduled for March 6, 2016/file

While in Japan, she is also expected to officially launch the 3rd edition of the First Lady’s Half Marathon scheduled for March 6, 2016/file

TOKYO, Japan, Aug 26 – First Lady Margaret Kenyatta arrived in Tokyo, Japan, Wednesday for a four-day visit where she is scheduled to address the World Assembly for Women (WAW, 2015) among other official engagements.

While in Japan, she is also expected to officially launch the 3rd edition of the First Lady’s Half Marathon scheduled for March 6, 2016.

Before launching the 2016 Marathon at the Hibiya Park, next to the Emperor’s Imperial Palace in Tokyo, the First Lady and her team will run a five-kilometre race around the Park before lighting a torch to signify the launch.

The launch officially kicks off the registration for the marathon aimed at creating awareness and raising funds for the remaining 15 mobile clinics under the Beyond Zero initiative.

The plane carrying the First Lady and her entourage touched down at Narita International Airport, Tokyo, Japan shortly after 6pm (local time).

Kenyan Ambassador to Japan Solomon K. Maina and Ambassador Hideki Hoshi from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tokyo, received her at the airport.

At the WAW conference, the First Lady is expected to address issues related to the education of the girl child, maternal and children’s health that are championed by her Beyond Zero campaign.

The First Lady is expected to enumerate the successes of the Beyond Zero campaign especially how it has positively impacted maternal health at the grassroots since its inception in January 2014.

So far, the initiative has donated 32 mobile clinics to a similar number of counties out of the 47 devolved units in Kenya.

Besides the WAW conference, the First Lady is also expected to hold separate bilateral meetings with both the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his spouse Akie Abe on the sidelines of the conference.

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The two-day conference will take place at the International Convention Centre’s Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa (PAMIR).

The First Lady is also expected to hold further talks with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President Akihiko Tanaka.

JICA plays a major role in Kenya’s growth on areas of economic infrastructure, private sector development, agriculture, environment, water, human resources and health.

The WAW conference, a brain-child of the Japanese Premier and which is in its second year running, will be addressed by top world women leaders including Liberian President Mrs Sirleaf Johnson, Cherie Blair, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator, Hellen Clark.

The conference which is tentatively expected to bring together an estimated 1500 participants from all over the world has several other areas of discussion including women and economy, women and peace building and the role of women in science and technology among others.

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