Tokyo to keep bilateral relations with Philippines

MANILA, Philippines - US treaty ally Japan yesterday distanced itself from statements of President Duterte that he is cutting military and economic ties with the United States.

A Japanese official in Manila stressed Tokyo is keen on maintaining strong bilateral relations with the Philippines under the new Duterte administration.

“As far as our bilateral relations are concerned, despite the change of presidency in this country, we can maintain very good relations and I’m sure that we can continue to maintain our good relations with President Duterte and his administration as well,” said Atsushi Ueno, deputy chief of mission and minister for political affairs of the Japanese embassy in Manila.

Ueno declined to comment on Duterte’s foreign policy statements made in Beijing.

“Again, I don’t want to make a comment regarding the relations between, the relations of other countries. But for Japan, as I introduced, this is the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties, and we are very happy that President Duterte will visit our country in the very early stage of his administration,” he said.

“So we would like to make use of this opportunity to strengthen our bilateral relations,” Ueno added.

Duterte is scheduled to visit Japan later this month upon the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Duterte will embark on a working visit on Oct. 25 to 27, with a meeting with the Japanese prime minister and a state call on Emperor Akihito. 

During his meeting with Abe on the sidelines of the 28th ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos last month, Duterte conveyed his acceptance of Abe’s invitation.

Ueno added Duterte’s visit to Tokyo would reaffirm the already strong strategic partnership between the two countries.

“And through the summit meeting and the various programs during the President’s stay in Japan, we would like to further enhance our relations and this year is the 60th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations,” Ueno said.

Earlier this year, the relations were bolstered by the state visit of the Japanese emperor and empress to the Philippines.

“And President Duterte’s visit to Japan will be another highlight of our series of events in this 60th anniversary,” Ueno stressed.

“The two leaders are expected to discuss bilateral issues and regional issues and through these conversations, we would like to strengthen bilateral cooperation and our strategic partnership as well as expect to reaffirm the cooperation on regional and international issues,” he added.

Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Banaag, of the Presidential Communications Office, said the President’s official visit “is seen to further bolster the strong strategic partnership between the Philippines and Japan.”

Banaag said a bold scope of bilateral discussions between the President and Japanese leaders will include security, economic and defense cooperation, infrastructure development and development projects in Mindanao.

Makoto Iyori, economic affairs minister of the Japanese embassy, said Tokyo would continue its official development assistance (ODA) to the Philippines.

Iyori said Japan’s ODA policy to the Philippines is focused on economic development, rehabilitation efforts and assistance to the peace process in Mindanao.

“So we regularly extend assistance to Mindanao and we still are continuing in this direction and we are now working on that… I want to have some specific project to be agreed in the coming next meeting,” Iyori said.