By Brian Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has concluded his four-day state visit to Japan, bringing home investment pledges and deeper bilateral ties between Manila and Tokyo.
President Marcos Jr., along with First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and the Philippine delegation, arrived at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Friday evening.
During the “Kapihan with the Media” in Japan before returning home, Marcos described his state visit as a “very constructive” and “highly productive” trip, despite being on a tight schedule since he landed in Tokyo on May 26.
“Ang Japan ay isang tunay na kasangga ng ating bansa. Laging handang tumulong at makiramay. Sa state visit na ito, siniguro natin na ang pagyabong ng pagkakaibigan ng Pilipinas at Japan ay tahasang maihahatid at madarama ng ating mga mamamayan,” he said.
Coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Japan, the two countries have also formally elevated their relations into a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership following a summit meeting with Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae on May 28.
“It sets the stage for ensuring that our productive partnership is fit for the future and will redound to even more meaningful benefits for our two countries and our two peoples,” the Chief Executive said.
President Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Takaichi witnessed the signing of several agreements between the Philippines and Japan, including a landmark deal on the avoidance of double taxation, as well as in agriculture and fisheries, health services, and human resource development—aimed at strengthening both nations’ security, economic growth, and resilience.
The two leaders also announced the start of formal negotiations for a General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) as well as discussions on the delimitation of maritime boundaries.
“The sharing of information is not necessarily military or intelligence information. We’re talking about the weather, we’re talking about smart cities, we are talking about the satellite information that they have that we might not have for increased agricultural productivity,” Marcos Jr. said.
The Philippines and Japan have likewise agreed to advance cooperation in artificial intelligence, space development and applications, energy security, and supply chain resilience.
Marcos Jr. added that he and Takaichi exchanged views on pressing regional and global issues, particularly developments in the South China Sea and in the Middle East.
Takaichi likewise assured the Philippines of Japan’s support for its chairship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year as well as its bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
“This reflects how our cooperation has grown not only stronger but deeper and broader, not only across the traditional areas of security, maritime and defense cooperation, trade and investment, but also across new frontiers critical to our future such as energy security, supply chain resilience, decarbonization, artificial intelligence, and space cooperation,” Marcos Jr. said.
“It sets the stage for ensuring that our productive partnership is fit for the future and will redound to even more meaningful benefits for our two countries and our two peoples,” he added.
PH bid as Asia investment hub
On May 27–28, Marcos Jr. held a series of high-level engagements with Japanese companies, generating around $3.4 billion (approximately P210 billion) in investment pledges and P56.3 billion worth of potential investments which will create an additional 10,300 direct and indirect jobs for Filipinos.
The planned expansions of key Japanese business partners, such as Furukawa Electric Corporation, Sumitomo Electric Industries, MinebeaMitsumi Inc., and Tsuneishi Group Corporation, also helped position the Philippines as a strategic location for investment in Asia.
“I suppose the way we could describe it is that we have aspirations to become a hub in Asia. Because as I keep reminding our potential investors, the Philippines is only four hours away from every major capital in Asia, and that puts us geographically at the center of Asia,” the President said.
The investment pledges cover key sectors, such as banking, infrastructure, aviation, manufacturing, telecommunications, mobility, e-mobility, renewable energy, healthcare and wellness, AI, financial technology, digital technology, retail, finance, tourism, semiconductor, advanced electronics, precision manufacturing, and shipbuilding industries.
“These engagements reaffirmed strong confidence in the Philippine economy and opened new opportunities for investments that will benefit our people,” Marcos Jr. said.
Historic Japan Diet address and interaction with the Imperial Family
On May 28, Marcos was also given the rare opportunity to deliver an address to the National Diet—making him only the fourth Philippine president to speak before the national legislature of Japan, following Carlos Garcia (1958), Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2002), and Benigno Aquino III (2015).
In his speech, Marcos Jr. stressed the importance of upholding international law and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific, calling the Philippines and Japan “maritime democracies” committed to “strengthening maritime security and ensuring that our seas remain open, secure, and governed by rules—not by force.”
He also underscored Japan’s role as an important economic partner of the Philippines, citing its continued support for various development initiatives in the country.
Another highlight of the visit was the President’s Imperial Audience with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, which, Marcos said, reaffirmed the “enduring friendship and goodwill between the Filipino and Japanese people.”
During a state call at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on May 27, Their Majesties conferred Japan’s highest honors to the First Couple, with the President receiving the Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum and the First Lady with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown.
The former is an award bestowed on foreign heads of state, royalty, and distinguished leaders for their great contributions to Japan, while the latter is given to female leaders of foreign royal families and women dignitaries during state visits.
The First Couple reciprocated the gesture by conferring the Order of Lakandula with the Rank of Supremo or Grand Collar on Emperor Naruhito and the Order of Gabriela Silang on Empress Masako.
During the state banquet hosted by Their Majesties, Marcos gifted the Emperor a traditional oversized haluhalo glass and spoon after learning through mutual friends that the Japanese monarch had developed a fondness for the beloved Filipino dessert.
Marcos Jr. said that they also shared lighthearted moments, talking about Their Majesties’ love for music and life experiences.
“It was a very, shall we say, warm conversation. And we were very flattered that although we, of course, the Japanese are very strict about formality and ritual. But once we did that, The Emperor and The Empress were very, very warm and treated us like long-lost friends, for which we are very grateful to The Emperor and The Empress,” he said.
Meeting with the Filipino community
As soon as he landed in Tokyo on the evening of May 26, Marcos met with members of the Filipino community in Japan, expressing his sincere appreciation for their contributions to nation-building and to the enduring friendship between the Philippines and Japan.
The Embassy of the Philippines in Tokyo said the Filipino community in Japan is the fourth-largest contingent in the country, composed of around 349,714 registered Filipinos living and working in the country as of June 2025.
“I commended their invaluable contributions to nation building and assured them that their welfare remains an enormous and a high priority of the government,” he said.
“Their hard work and dedication continue to strengthen the bond between our two countries.”
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