Japan PM Kishida to visit Philippines this week

MANILA, Philippines — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will visit the Philippines this week and meet with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to discuss security and economic cooperation between Tokyo and Manila. 

The Presidential Communications Office, quoting the Department of Foreign Affairs, announced Tuesday that Kishida will be in the Philippines on November 3 to 4. 

The agency said that Kishida and Marcos will hold a bilateral meeting to discuss “areas of mutual concern such as political, security, economic and development cooperation, as well as people-to-people ties.” 

The two leaders are also expected to tackle regional and international issues, and reaffirm the strategic partnership between the Philippines and Japan. 

Japan is a major partner of the Philippines in key sectors, including infrastructure development, renewable energy, humanitarian assistance, disaster response, education and public health enhancement. 

The visit of Kishida comes at a time of increased tensions between the Philippines and China over encounters in the West Philippine Sea. 

Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed serious concern over the collisions between Chinese and Filipino vessels last week, and said that it “opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force as well as any actions that increase tension in the South China Sea.”

Marcos undertook an official visit to Japan in February, where he met with Kishida, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako. Malacañang said the visit sealed $13 billion worth of agreements that were seen to generate thousands of jobs for Filipinos.