Japan PM Abe to drop by Duterte’s Davao home

MANILA, Philippines – President Duterte will host a state dinner for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who will arrive in the country tomorrow afternoon.

On Friday, Abe will visit Duterte’s home in Davao City, according to presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella.

Abe will arrive in Manila at 2:25 p.m. on a Japanese Air Force plane from Tokyo.

“There will be meetings with representatives from the business sector in Manila and Davao,” Abella said.

Abe is the first head of state who will be feted with a state dinner since Duterte assumed the presidency in June last year.

In a post-Christmas interview, Duterte said he looked forward to Abe’s visit, which he described as private and confidential.

“This is just a friendly visit. It is official because he is a prime minister. We were given permission while we were in Japan, but it was passed on to me as a private-confidential matter,” Duterte said.

The President said his meeting in October with Abe was the longest he had with heads of sovereign states.

“He is interested in helping us, particularly in investments. Most of all, he wants to visit my place, Davao City,” he said.

If things go as planned, Abe will visit Duterte’s residence in Doña Luisa Village, which the President shares with his common-law wife Honeylet and their daughter Veronica.

The President’s house has been drawing crowds and visitors since he won the election last year.

Duterte said Davao City has the largest number of Filipinos of Japanese descent.

Due to Japan’s interest in the city and the huge population of Japanese migrants, Davao became known as “Little Tokyo” during the 1930s.

During the early part of the 20th century, a huge number of Japanese settled in Barangay Mintal and engaged in abaca farming.

Several landmarks signifying Philippines-Japan friendship are found in Barangay Mintal.

After World War II, Davao City became a beneficiary of several Japanese-funded projects, mostly aimed to alleviate poverty.

Although Abe’s itinerary in Davao is not being announced for security reasons, sources said the Japanese leader would visit a Japan-funded international university and several historical sites and landmarks.

Special friend

When he was in Tokyo in October, Duterte described Japan as “a special friend who is closer than a brother.”

“Japan’s official development assistance for the Philippines is second to none,” Duterte said as he described his official visit as a defining moment in solid, strategic partnership between the two countries.

Duterte cited several points of cooperation – respect for the rule of law, human rights and a free and open economy – that were agreed upon during his visit in Japan.

Abe and Duterte’s continued cooperation is meant to maintain regional peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia Pacific, and to emphasise the importance of a rules-based approach to the peaceful settlement of maritime disputes. – With Edith Regalado