Duterte to go to Japan for talks with Abe

LIGHT MOMENT Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shares a light moment with Mr. Duterte on Oct. 26, 2016. —AFP FILE PHOTO

President Rodrigo Duterte is leaving for Japan on Sunday for talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on key regional concerns, including North Korea.

Mr. Duterte will stay in Japan for three days, or up to Oct. 31, on a working visit that comes ahead of key regional meetings beginning with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum in Vietnam in November.

Mr. Duterte is visiting Japan for the second time and having his third meeting with Abe.

The Japanese premier visited Manila in January and had a meeting with Mr. Duterte.

The two leaders also will be hosting US President Donald Trump when he makes his first presidential Asia tour in November.

Mr. Duterte will host the leaders of Southeast Asia and East Asia also next month.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Wednesday that Mr. Duterte would discuss with the Japanese premier matters of mutual interest.

“Aside from bilateral issues in the economic, industrial, social and security arena, discussions are also expected to include regional developments, including peace and stability in the region, particularly [on] the Korean Peninsula,” the DFA said.

Strategic partnership

Mr. Duterte’s visit was announced in Japan on the same day.

“Japan and the Philippines have close ties and our strategic partnership can promote stability in the region,” Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a regular press briefing.

Japan is concerned about China’s growing power in the South China Sea and sees cooperation with the Philippines, which lies on the waterway’s eastern edge, as key to helping prevent the spread of Beijing’s influence into the western Pacific.

The DFA said Mr. Duterte would also meet other high-ranking government officials and captains of industry in Japan.

Mr. Duterte was invited to speak at the International Conference on the Future of Asia on June 5 to 6 in Tokyo, but Malacañang canceled his trip so he could attend to the Marawi crisis.

Unlike in a state or official visit, the host country does not shoulder the expenses of a visiting head of state and his official delegation during a working visit.

The visiting head of state is also not given military honors.

Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said on Wednesday that Mr. Duterte would attend the Apec meeting in Vietnam and might have a meeting with  Trump.

“I’m sure they’ll be able to speak because our relationship is too important and President Trump and President Duterte like each other,” Cayetano said.

Mr. Duterte will fly to Da Nang in central Vietnam to attend the Apec summit from Nov. 8 to 11.

Malacañang has said 21 world leaders, including Abe and Trump, will attend the Asean Leaders’ Meeting, which will be held in Manila from Nov. 12 to 14.

The DFA has confirmed that Trump will be in Manila on Nov. 12 and 13 for the Asean leaders’ summit but will skip the 18-nation East Asia Summit on Nov. 14. —With reports from Philip C. Tubeza, AP, and New York Times News Service