Marcos attending ASEAN-Japan summit in Tokyo this week

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos is traveling to Tokyo this week to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – Japan Commemorative Summit, where the region’s leaders are expected to discuss common concerns including the South China Sea row.

Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Daniel Espiritu said Marcos is leaving on Dec. 15 while the summit – the conclusion of the 50th anniversary of relations between ASEAN and Japan – would take place from Dec. 16 to 18.

It will be his second visit to Japan and his 19th overseas trip since assuming the presidency in June 2022.

The regional event will also mark his first foreign trip since recovering from his third bout with COVID-19.

Espiritu noted that the summit is expected to produce two outcome documents – the joint vision statement of ASEAN and Japan and the implementation plan for the joint statement.

Marcos is expected to have a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, which may tackle a possible reciprocal access agreement that will permit Manila and Tokyo to send military forces to each other’s territory for joint drills and training.

The two countries agreed to start the talks on the agreement during Kishida’s official visit to the Philippines last month.

Marcos will also have an audience with Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako and attend business meetings during the trip.

“This is very important because Japan is one of the first dialogue partners of ASEAN, and it’s one of the most dynamic. And its participation in ASEAN has covered not only political security matters such as defense and transnational crime and mutual legal assistance but also mutual economic activities which all help in community building in ASEAN and also cultural and people-to-people activities,” Espiritu said at a press briefing yesterday in Malacañang.

“It’s a whole gamut of relations, and they were able to sustain and develop it through the years such that this year, they were declared comprehensive strategic partner of ASEAN,” he added.

Espiritu said Marcos’ first official engagement would be his meeting with Kishida on Dec. 16.

The President will also join a dinner to be hosted by the Japanese leader at the Akasaka Palace on the same day.

The commemorative summit will be held on Dec. 17 and will feature sessions on ASEAN-Japan relations and regional developments.

“So here, not only will they review the cooperation activities of ASEAN through the years, but also they will discuss South China Sea, East China Sea, Myanmar, North Korea and other international developments that have a bearing on ASEAN,” Espiritu said.

Asked how the planned reciprocal access agreement between the Philippines and Japan would factor into the sessions, Espiritu noted that the deal is “more or less a bilateral issue” and is not part of the summit’s agenda.

“But it could be a matter of bilateral discussions between the Philippines and Japan,” Espiritu added.

The Philippines and Japan agreed to start negotiations on the reciprocal access agreement as tensions grip the South China Sea due to China’s increasingly aggressive maneuvers in the vital waterway.