Both the Philippine and Japanese flags were hoisted in several streets of Tokyo’s Minato and Chiyoda Cities, as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to arrive on Wednesday evening for a five-day state visit to the said country. (Photo by GABRIEL PABICO LALU / INQUIRER.net)
TOKYO — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrived here on Wednesday evening to start a five-day official visit aimed at boosting Manila’s ties with “a most reliable partner, in times of both crises and of prosperity.”
Marcos arrived at Haneda Airport aboard Philippine Airlines’ PR001 at around 5:35 p.m. local time, accompanied by first lady Liza Araneta Marcos and a large entourage of politicians and businessmen.
It was 7° C and drizzling in most of Tokyo, but there was no snow and Philippine and Japanese flags were seen hanging together in light posts, especially in the cities of Minato and Chiyoda in the metropolis.
The trip “is part of a larger foreign policy agenda to forge closer political ties, stronger defense, and security cooperation, as well as lasting economic partnerships with major countries in the region amid a challenging global environment,” Marcos said before his departure at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
The president said the trip, his ninth in under eight months, was “essential” because Japan has been “a most reliable partner, in times of both crises and of prosperity.”
Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene Garcia-Albano said on Tuesday that the visit is expected to generate P150 billion in investment pledges and generate 8,000 new jobs.
Japan is the first country which signed a bilateral free trade pact with the Philippines through the Philippine-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement.
During the trip, the Philippines and Japan are set to sign seven new agreements in the areas of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, infrastructure, agriculture, and digital cooperation. Among the agreements is a comprehensive defense pact that is expected to later lead to a visiting forces agreement (VFA). The Philippines has so far signed VFAs only with the United States and Australia.
The English-language Japan Times also reported that the visit will also conclude loan agreements worth $3 billion for the Philippine railroad system.
Marcos is expected to meet Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday, the second time for them to meet since bilateral talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last September.
The president is also expected to have an audience with Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, whom he will officially invite to the Philippines.
The last emperor to officially come to the country was Emperor Akihito who made a state visit with Empress Michiko from Jan. 26 to Jan. 30, 2016.
About 150 members of the presidential entourage are businessmen who will be joining meetings on Thursday and Friday, including talks with Japanese shipping companies to try and “advance partnerships with Philippine stakeholders in maritime education and welfare programs for seafarers.”
Before flying back to Manila on Feb. 12, the president will meet with more than a thousand Filipinos living in Japan.