The Philippines’ envoy to Japan expressed hope that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to Tokyo will further strengthen bilateral ties, emphasizing decades of close cooperation between the two nations.
“We hope to continue the development, assistance, and the very good relations that we have had for the past 70 years,” Philippine Ambassador Mylene Garcia-Albano said in an interview with RTV-Malacañang.
Garcia-Albano noted that Japan continues to regard the Philippines as a key regional partner, citing sustained official development assistance and rising confidence among Japanese investors in sectors such as renewable energy, transportation, and manufacturing.
Among the major investments gaining momentum are plans by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation to develop electric vehicle manufacturing operations in the Philippines, while Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. is eyeing the expansion of its shipbuilding facilities in Cebu.
As the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) marks its 20th anniversary, Garcia-Albano said the milestone underscores the need to modernize the trade pact to match evolving global economic conditions.
“We see that because of the many developments in the global economic situation, this is an opportune time for us to revisit the agreement and see how we can bring it up to speed in terms of today’s economic realities,” she said.
She added that JPEPA has significantly boosted Philippine exports to Japan, particularly bananas, noting that around 75 percent of bananas sold in Japan now come from the Philippines.
The ambassador also highlighted the role of the Filipino community in deepening bilateral relations, with about 349,000 Filipinos living in Japan, including around 100,000 registered overseas Filipino workers employed in healthcare, agriculture, construction, education, and service industries.
Officials said Marcos’ visit reflects the growing transformation of Philippines-Japan relations into a comprehensive strategic partnership, bolstered by defense agreements such as the Reciprocal Access Agreement and the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement.
The two countries are also expanding cooperation in energy, infrastructure, regional security, and economic resilience, while strengthening people-to-people ties and their shared commitment to stability and multilateral cooperation across the Indo-Pacific region.
