Japanese PM in Manila November 3-4

MANILA, Philippines — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will embark on a two-day official visit to the Philippines this week aimed at bolstering ties between the two countries, Malacañang announced yesterday.

Kishida will be in the country from Nov. 3 to 4, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

The Japanese official will hold a bilateral meeting with President Marcos at Malacañang on Friday.

They are expected to discuss “areas of mutual concern,” including politics, security, economy, development cooperation and people-to-people ties.

The two leaders are also expected to exchange views on regional and international issues and reaffirm the “excellent relations” between the Philippines and Japan, which was elevated into a strategic partnership in 2011, the PCO said.

Marcos visited Tokyo in February, where he sealed $13 billion worth of agreements seen to yield thousands of jobs for Filipinos.

There are more than 300,000 Filipinos living and working in Japan, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Japanese firms are eyeing more investments in the Philippines due to the country’s continuing “stable” and “high-level” economic growth in recent years, according to the PCO.

Marcos met recently with leaders of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) at Malacañang.

This was the first economic mission dispatched by the JCCI since the pandemic, the PCO said.