Philippines-Japan agree to continue strengthening partnership

June 27, 2018

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono met in Tokyo last week and agreed to continue working closely together to further strengthen the partnership between the Philippines and Japan.

In a statement by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday, the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo said that in addition to bilateral relations, the two officials also discussed regional concerns, including developments in the South China Sea and the Korean Peninsula.

Ambassador to Tokyo Jose C. Laurel V said the breakfast meeting was held before the 5th Meeting of the Philippines-Japan Joint Committee on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation (JCM) on  June 20 where Cayetano participated as one of the leaders of the Philippine delegation.

“At the onset of the meeting, Cayetano conveyed his sympathies to Foreign Minister Kono on the earthquake that hit Kansai region on June 18 and, assured the latter of the readiness of the Philippines to assist, same as Japan being consistently ready to help the Philippines during calamities,” Ambassador Laurel said.

In their discussions, Laurel said Cayetano and Kono noted the dynamic and collaborative partnership between the Philippines and Japan in the areas of social security, infrastructure development, defense and security as well as in counter-terrorism.

Laurel said both ministers also exchanged views on important regional matters such as the ASEAN and the South China Sea.

Laurel said the two also expressed their optimism on the recently held summit between United States President Donald Trump and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore and agreed to continue to cooperate in establishing a stable and peaceful Indo-Pacific region.

The envoy said Kono also expressed appreciation for the expeditious signing last month of the memorandum of cooperation on the collection of the remains of Japanese soldiers who were killed in the Philippines during the Second World War.

The meeting between Cayetano and Kono came a week after the holding of the 4th Philippines-Japan Vice Ministerial Strategic Dialogue – an annual bilateral consultative mechanism between the two countries. DMS