Duterte set to meet Japanese imperial couple

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte will meet with Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko this week as part of a three-day official visit that seeks to strengthen ties between Manila and Tokyo. 

Duterte will have an audience with the imperial couple on Oct. 31, the third day of his visit to Tokyo. 

The audience was supposed to be held during Duterte’s first official visit to Japan last year but was cancelled following the death of the emperor’s 100-year-old uncle Prince Mikasa.

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited the Philippines from Jan. 26 to 30 last year to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Philippine-Japanese diplomatic relations. Former president Benigno Aquino III also called on the imperial couple during his visit to Japan in 2015. 

Duterte is expected to deliver a departure statement at the Davao City international airport today before leaving for Japan. 

A Philippine Airlines flight will take the President and his party to Tokyo where he is to have a series of meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Japanese businessmen in an effort to entice more investments.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Duterte has congratulated Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping following their respective re-elections this week.

“President Duterte is expected to personally express his felicitations to Prime Minister Abe when they meet in Tokyo,” a DFA statement read.

It also reiterated an earlier Malacañang statement which said the Prime Minister’s fresh mandate augurs well for excellent Philippine-Japan ties.

“We have many points of collaboration with our neighbor in the North, which include economic, socio-political security and defense cooperation. We are therefore confident that both countries’ solid and strategic partnership would continue to gain greater strength in the years to come,” the Palace statement read. 

Tomorrow, Duterte is scheduled to witness the signing of business letters of intent and have a courtesy call on Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Japan International Cooperation Agency president Shinichi Kitaoka. 

The Philippine leader will also meet with Prime Minister Abe to tackle key issues like the North Korea threat, rebuilding of Marawi, terrorism and infrastructure projects. Abe will host a dinner at the prime minister’s residence after the two leaders issue a joint statement. 

On Tuesday, Duterte will meet with the descendants of the late former Japanese prime minister Takeo Fukuda, who will be posthumously conferred the Order of Sikatuna. 

The Order of Sikatuna is conferred by the President on individuals who rendered “exceptional and meritorious services” to the Philippines and to diplomats, officials and nationals of foreign states who rendered conspicuous services in fostering, developing and strengthening relations between their country and the Philippines.

Duterte will also meet with Fumio Kishida, former Japanese foreign minister and now chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party Policy Research.

He will cap his visit with an audience with the Emperor and Empress.  

The President is expected to arrive in Davao City Tuesday night where he is expected to spend the All Souls’ and All Saints’ Day.

Meanwhile, DFA said Duterte, as chair of PDP-Laban, congratulated Xi following the national congress of the Communist Party of China held from Oct. 18 to 25.

The national congress, held every five years, elects the communist party’s top leadership and sets the national policy goals of the government.

Xi was re-elected as general secretary of the communist party, making him the top-ranking member of the Politburo Standing Committee, China’s highest decision-making body.

Duterte has sought friendlier ties with Xi and the Chinese government since his election last year, an apparent policy turnaround from that of former president Aquino, who challenged Beijing’s territorial claims in the South China Sea and won a ruling for the Philippines from the Permanent Court of Arbitration. – With Edith Regalado, Janvic Mateo