Del Rosario to fly to Japan for official visit

Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario. AP FILE PHOTO

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario will be flying to Japan from June 27 to 29 to discuss bilateral economic and regional concerns with his counterpart, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Monday.

“Both foreign ministers will discuss vital issues relating to bilateral economic relations, cooperation in the field of maritime security, the Mindanao Peace Process, as well as regional issues such as regional security and cooperation,” the DFA said in a statement Monday.

Del Rosario’s first official working visit was on the invitation of his Japanese counterpart, Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba.

Apart from Gemba, Del Rosario would also call on Deputy Prime Minister Katsuya Okada and meet with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President Akihiko Tanaka and officers of the Japan-Philippines Parliamentarian Friendship Leauge (JPPFL) to exchange view on issues of mutual interest.

DFA said Del Rosario’s visit was a follow-up to President Beningno S. Aquino’s visit to Japan on September 2011, when a bilateral strategic partnership was forged between the two countries.