President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. departs from Maharlika, Villamor Airbase, Pasay City to Japan to participate at the Commemorative Summit for the 50th Year of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Japan Friendship and Cooperation on 15-18 December 2023. Photos by Yummie Dingding/ PPA POOL
TOKYO, Japan — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday afternoon departed from the Philippines and headed to Tokyo for the 50th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)-Japan relations.
Marcos departed from Villamor Airbase in Pasay City, with several government officials present.
According to Department of Foreign Affairs Asec. Daniel Espiritu in a previous Palace briefing, Marcos is staying in Japan for four days.
On his first day in Japan this Friday, Marcos may meet Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for a bilateral meeting.
Marcos’ first Asean engagement will be on December 16. It will be a dinner hosted by Fumio in either the State Guest House or the Akasaka Palace.
Meanwhile, December 17 is expected to be a whole day affair for the President.
“The opening session will start at 9:30, and then it will be followed by a session on the reviewing Asean-Japan Relations, as well as international 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,” said Espiritu.
Among other activities that day, the President will also attend a working lunch, as well as a lighting ceremony at Azabudai Hills.
“The next day, there is another event that is not exactly Asean but is quite participated in by most of the countries of Asean and other countries. It’s the Asia Zero Emission Community, a separate regional organization composed of Asean, Japan and Australia. Now, this is, as the name of the community indicates, dedicated to lowering the emission of carbon gasses into the atmosphere towards supposedly zero net effect at the end,” said Espiritu.
Japan is one of the first dialogue partners of the Asean, said Espiritu.
“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,” said Espiritu.