Duterte to visit Japan again in October

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte will travel to Japan anew for a three-day working visit ahead of two key regional summits.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, Duterte will visit Japan on October 29 to 31 to “further enhance the strong bilateral relations” between Manila and Tokyo.

Duterte’s Japan trip was also confirmed by Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga during a regular press conference on Wednesday.

“Japan and the Philippines have close ties and our strategic partnership can promote stability in the region,” Suga was quoted as saying in a report by Reuters.

Duterte and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will hold their third bilateral meeting to discuss matters of “mutual interest,” the DFA said.

The Philippine leader is also expected to meet other high-ranking Japanese officials.

Aside from discussions on improving the two countries’ bilateral ties, topics concerning regional developments—particularly the tension in the Korean Peninsula—are also high on the agenda of Duterte’s visit, the DFA also said.

Leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation will gather in Vietnam for a two-day summit from November 11 and will travel to Manila for the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit and related meetings on November 13 to 15.

Meanwhile, Duterte’s visit to Japan came after Abe’s ultra-conservative Liberal Democratic Party scored a fresh election victory. On Monday, Abe vowed to focus on what he qualified as Japan’s two national crises: the military threat from North Korea and an aging and shrinking population.

READ: After election win, Abe prioritizes North Korea, aging Japan

In May, Duterte was prompted to cancel his June visit to Tokyo after a band of homegrown militants loyal to the Islamic State overran the southern city of Marawi. He was listed among Asian leaders who were supposed to keynote the 23rd International Conference on Future of Asia organized by Japanese news agency Nikkei.

Duterte visited Japan in October last year, which was capped by investment pledges worth $1.8 billion.

Last January, Abe went on an official visit to the Philippines, which saw the signing of various agreements and the granting of a ¥1-trillion aid package to the Philippines spread over the next five years.

Both the Philippines and Japan are involved in maritime disputes with China, which is claiming the South China and an island in the East China Sea occupied by Tokyo.

Experts say Japan, a known US ally, is moving to counter China’s growing influence in the Western pacific by forging closer cooperation with the Philippines.