Mga artistang nasa pwesto sapol sa sinabi ni Goma

President Arroyo is leaving tomorrow for a four-day visit to Tokyo, where she will be the keynote speaker of the 13th Nikkei Conference and meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as well as top leaders of business and academe.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo’s trip “comes at a time when relations between the two countries have never been stronger.”

He noted that Japan remains the number one source of Official Development Assistance (ODA) and is the second largest trading partner of the Philippines.

“Her trips abroad, like the current one, form an essential component of a vigorous foreign policy which aims, among others, to cement ties with our neighbors, to project the Philippines as an active competitor for investments in the region and a key  player  in promoting peace and stability in the area,” Bunye said.

Officials said Mrs. Arroyo will first have a series of interviews with journalists from top Japanese newspapers on Tuesday.

This will be followed by a meeting with Akira Okabe, senior managing director of Toyota Motors Corp.

The day will be capped with leaders of the Filipino community in Tokyo.

On Wednesday, she will deliver the keynote speech on 13th Nikkei Conference on the Future of Asia with the theme: “Deepening Cooperation towards a True Community.” Abe is expected to deliver the welcome remarks. The conference will end with a toast by Fujiro Mitarai, chairman of the Keidanren.

She is also scheduled to have an interview with CNBC Asia on Thursday to be followed by a call by Kyosuyke Shinozawa, governor the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.