By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Ahead of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s upcoming state visit to Japan, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) shared key details on the agendas that will be tackled by both countries.
In a press conference on Wednesday, DFA Spokesperson Analyn Ratonel noted that the President will be accompanied by First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos and the Philippine delegation en route to Japan on Wednesday.
During the visit, President Marcos Jr. is expected to meet with PM Takaichi to discuss the cooperation of both countries in the aspects of security, maritime and defense, economy, energy resilience and decarbonization, and emerging and future-oriented sectors.
Both leaders are likewise expected to tackle various international developments, such as the ASEAN, challenges in the Indo-Pacific Region, and developments in the Middle East.
Upon arrival, the First Couple will be received by Their Majesties Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at the Imperial Palace for a welcome ceremony and state call, followed by a state banquet honoring the Philippines.
Ratonel, moreover, added that both countries would ink new agreements in trade, defense, and human resources during the President’s first state visit to the East Asian nation.
Topics on defense and energy were cited as key talking points for both leaders, with information sharing, coordination, transfer of defense equipment, acquiring new supplies, and enhanced training of Filipino soldiers touted as some of the possible outcomes in the stronger collaboration between Japan and Philippine defense agencies.
The latter would see the Chief Executive looking for ways to enable the Philippines to tap into the USD10 billion in funds allocated by Japan through the Partnership on Wide Energy and Resources Resilience Asia (POWERR Asia) framework launched by PM Takaichi on April 15.
Through the POWERR Asia initiative, loans, insurance, and credit support facilitated by Japanese state-backed institutions would be extended to Asian countries hoping to augment their dwindling fuel reserves, expand regional stockpiles, diversify fuel resources, and stabilize the supply chain amid unrelenting tensions in the Middle East.
President Marcos Jr. is also expected to meet with Japanese business leaders and members of the Filipino community, amounting to approximately 340,000 temporary and permanent migrants living and working in Japan.
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