PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is in Tokyo, Japan for a five-day official working visit, on the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. During this visit, both leaders are expected to reaffirm their countries’ strong and vibrant relations and talk about expanding trade and investments, aside from assessing ongoing projects financed by Japan in the Philippines.
Marcos is accompanied by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and top government officials, including former president and Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr. and Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil. Over a hundred businessmen are also expected to join the presidential delegation.
‘Critics will again nitpick on the size of the business delegation traveling with the President — some 100 Filipino businessmen…’
According to Neal Imperial, assistant secretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), this visit “seeks to maximize the full potential of the Philippines-Japan strategic partnership in all its aspects and facilitate closer defense, security, political, economic and people-to-people ties.”
The President and the First Lady will be given an imperial audience with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at an unspecified date and time, according to the DFA official.
During his visit, Marcos will also witness the signing of at least seven key agreements, including cooperation on infrastructure development, defense, agriculture, and information and communications technology.
Among the agreements to be signed between the two governments are an umbrella terms of reference on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and an exchange of notes on loan agreements on infrastructure, namely the North-South Commuter Railway from Malolos, Bulacan to Tutuban, Manila and the North-South Commuter Railway Extension from Malolos to Clark International Airport and Tutuban to Calamba, Laguna. The exchange of notes, meanwhile, will involve $300 billion worth of loans, which will be later signed by the Department of Finance and its Japanese counterpart.
The President is also scheduled to meet with the CEOs of Japanese shipping companies and associations to advance partnerships with Philippine stakeholders in maritime education and welfare programs for our seafarers.
On the social side, the President and the First Lady will be given an imperial audience with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.
The meeting between Marcos and Kishida will most likely be cordial and personal, since the two leaders already know each other, having met once on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly last September.
Critics will again nitpick on the size of the business delegation traveling with the President — some 100 Filipino businessmen — but since they are paying for their own travel and will be there to further their business interests, this should be taken on a positive note. If they succeed in forging business ventures with the Japanese businessmen, the local economy stands to benefit, too.
