Opening Remarks of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the Summit Meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae

Your Excellency,

I thank you for the very warm welcome extended to me and my delegation here in Japan.

It is my pleasure to see you here in Tokyo after our brief meeting in Kuala Lumpur last October on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit, our phone call in March, and our video conference in April to discuss the pressing issues of the time, such as the oil crisis.

This visit is especially meaningful as we commemorate the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between our two countries.

On this occasion, we reflect with deep appreciation on our partnership that has grown steadily in strength, depth, and scope.

Over seven decades, we have built a relationship anchored on mutual respect, trust, and shared aspiration.

Time and again, Japan has demonstrated its steadfast support for the Philippines, particularly in periods of heightened challenges. From its timely expressions of support on maritime developments to its concrete assistance in addressing the global energy situation, including ensuring continued fuel supply and extending support for our energy needs.

We also value Japan’s prompt deployment of technical experts to address the fire at the Navotas Sanitary Landfill, reflecting, once again, the responsiveness and practical value of our partnership when it matters the most. At the same time, our cooperation continues to broaden into new and forward-looking areas.

As we mark the 10th anniversary of the launch into orbit of the Diwata-1 microsatellite from the Japanese module of the International Space Station this year, we are reminded of how our partnership has quite literally reached new heights, symbolizing our shared commitment to innovation, science, and the industries of the future, such as robotics and artificial intelligence.

Against this backdrop, our meeting today marks a significant step forward as we steer our relations to new horizons, especially as we elevate from here our bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The Philippines’ first amongst its partners.

This reflects not only the progress that we have achieved across key areas such as security, maritime and defense cooperation, economic partnership, and infrastructure development, also our shared view to upholding international law and the expanding scope of our collaboration in several critical emerging areas.

I am confident that our discussions today will translate this milestone into actionable initiatives commensurate with our elevated partnership as we enter a platinum year.

Through deeper collaboration, we can better address emerging challenges and seize new opportunities in support of peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

Thank you. [applause]

— END —