President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Friday said he is hopeful that Japan will continue to support the Philippines.
Marcos made the statement during the courtesy call of Toshimitsu Motegi, a member of Japan’s House of Representatives and Japan Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General, on Friday afternoon in Malacañang.
“I am happy that you have come at a time where the relations between the Philippines and Japan are [at a] stronger [level] than they have been in our entire history,” Marcos said.
“Nonetheless, there is still much to do and continue. We look forward to your continuing support…from the legislature and the political leadership of Japan,” Marcos added.
Marcos cited Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Manila last year, when the latter addressed the Philippine Congress and pitched trilateral cooperation between Japan, the Philippines, and the United States to protect freedom of the sea (navigation) in the South China Sea, part of which the Philippines calls the West Philippine Sea.
During his congressional address, Kishida said the South China Sea is not governed by force.
In response, Motegi said that he was honored to meet the Philippine President.
“Thank you very much for taking [time off your] precious busy schedule. It is a great privilege that I recall my previous visit to you once as a Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry a decade ago and and again in 2022 as a Minister of Foreign Affairs,” the Japanese official said.
He was accompanied by Hiroshi Kajiyama, the Executive Acting Secretary General of the Japan Liberal Democratic Party, Masanobu Kokura, the current Deputy Executive Secretary General of the Japan Liberal Democratic Party and former Minister of State for Media, Sport, and Blind Pathway, and Karen Makishima, who is also the Executive former Minister for Digital Transformation.
“The Philippines is a neighboring country [to us], linked by the sea, and a strategic partner with whom we share values. I am delighted to see that bilateral cooperation has been steadily progressing,” Motegi said.
“There is a [also a] Japan-Philippines joint exercise in maritime domains, and we are great to see that,” Motegi added.
In July, Manila and Tokyo signed the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) which aims to heighten defense cooperation between the two countries in the middle of the escalating tensions in the South China Sea.—With Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA Integrated News
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