Duterte confident of sustained ties with ‘friend closer than brother’ Japan

(FILE) President Rodrigo Duterte and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe inspect the honor guard before the start of their bilateral talks at Abe’s office in Tokyo. —MALACAÑANGPHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte is confident of a sustained partnership between the Philippines and Japan, which he calls the country’s “closer than a brother friend.”

Duterte said this in commemoration of the Philippines and Japan’s 65th anniversary of bilateral relations.

“As I have said time and again, Japan is a friend closer than a brother. Only a handful of our bilateral relationships have been as deeply transformative as the one we have with Japan,” Duterte said in his message, a copy of which was released this Wednesday.

“I am confident that the Japan-Philippines strategic partnership will continue to strengthen as our people-to-people linkages continue to deepen,” he added.

The President also wished Japan success as the host of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games.

“Amidst the ongoing pandemic, the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games have now become an enduring symbol of humanity’s unbowed spirit. We wish Japan’s success in this endeavor,” Duterte said.

“In celebrating the 65th Anniversary of our diplomatic ties, let us honor the legacy of the extraordinary relationship between our country and Japan. Our shared future remains bright and the horizon continues to ever expand. There are many promises that can still be fulfilled. Mabuhay!” he went on.

The Tokyo Olympics originally slated in 2021 was rescheduled to this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The games run from July 23 to August 8, 2021.

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