Marcos invites Japan’s Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako to visit PH

‘DISTINCT HONOR’ President Marcos and wife Liza Araneta-Marcos during an audience with Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Feb. 9. —REUTERS

TOKYO, Japan — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday invited Japan’s Imperial Family, particularly to Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, to visit the Philippines.

“This afternoon, the First Lady and I also had the distinct honor of having an audience with Their Majesties The Emperor and Empress of Japan,” the President said.

“We had a memorable conversation and I deeply appreciate the Imperial audience accorded to me and the First Lady. I have extended an invitation to Their Majesties to visit the Philippines at the most convenient time,” he added.

Marcos also hopes that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida can also visit the Philippines.

“I wish once again to thank Prime Minister Kishida for his kind invitation to visit one of the Philippines’ closest neighbors and closest friends. We hope to welcome Prime Minister Kishida to the Philippines for a return visit in the very near future,” he noted.

Marcos is in Japan for a five-day official visit from February 8 to 12. 

Prior to his meeting with Kishida, Marcos met with various Japanese businessmen, particularly from the maritime, tourism, semiconductor and electronics industries.

The President, according to the Presidential Communications Office, was supposedly able to secure billions of pesos worth of investment pledges which is seen to create 10,000 new jobs for Filipinos.

Marcos is expected to have more meetings on Friday.

“Tomorrow, I will be meeting with more Japanese companies and business leaders for the business portion of this visit, to highlight the economic performance of the Philippine economy and to showcase the business and investment-friendly policies and programs of this administration,” he said.

Aside from the pledges mentioned, Kishida also formally announced Japan’s intention to provide a Y600 billion, or around $4.586 billion assistance to the Philippines, in support of the latter’s bid to become an upper-middle income country.

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