President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. arrived in Tokyo on Friday for the 50th Commemorative ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation Summit.

Marcos was welcomed by Japanese officials when he landed at the Haneda International Airport at 6:13 p.m. (Manila time), Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said in a statement.

Joining Marcos in his Japan trip were First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and other government officials.

Garafil said Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio will serve as the government caretaker while Marcos is in Japan.

In his departure statement at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Friday morning, Marcos said the 50th ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation Commemorative Summit gives the Philippines an advantage to affirm its position on current international issues and advance its interests.  

Marcos added that the summit is also an opportunity to welcome the conferment of comprehensive partner status on Japan.

The Philippines-Japan relations were established on July 23, 1956. 

Japan is one of the country’s three strategic partners with 264 bilateral agreements, which include the transfer of defense equipment and technology, infrastructure, and Mindanao development.

Japan is also the Philippines’ second largest trading partner in 2022 after it recorded a total trade of USD23.49 billion, up by 10.9 percent from the USD21.83 billion recorded in 2021.

In the same period, exports and imports were valued at USD11.13 billion and USD12.35 billion, respectively.

Manufacturing, IT-BPM, Electronic Design Services, PPP Projects, Agribusiness and Aquaculture, SME (cluster/supply chain building projects) are the priority sectors for investment promotion of the Philippines to Japan.

Japan is also the largest source of Official Development Assistance for the Philippines, with a share of 40.49 percent or USD12,923.99 million of the country’s total portfolio.

It is likewise the second largest source of grant assistance accounting for 28.93 percent, or USD577.72 million of the total grants’ portfolio.

According to government data, Japan also serves as home to 331,523 registered Filipinos. (PNA)

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