Marcos may visit Japan in May

MANILA, Philippines —   President Marcos is considering an invitation for him to visit the Philippines’ strategic ally Japan next month, Malacañang said yesterday.

The Japanese government is in talks to invite Marcos to Japan as a state guest as early as next month as part of its effort to enhance relations with Southeast Asia, according to a Nikkei Asia report.

Marcos is expected to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae to discuss “cooperation toward realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific” and “to coordinate responses to China’s maritime expansion,” the report added.

Palace press officer Claire Castro said there is no confirmation yet on the possible visit.

If the visit pushes through, it would be Marcos’ fourth trip to Japan as President.

He traveled to the East Asian country in February 2023 for a five-day official visit and in December of the same year for the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit. His third visit to Japan was in June last year to attend the World Expo 2025 in Osaka.

Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Japan were normalized on July 23, 1956 after the San Francisco Peace Treaty and the reparations agreement between the two countries entered into force.

Manila and Tokyo have been strengthening their relations in key areas, including security and trade. In 2024, they signed a landmark Reciprocal Access Agreement that would allow Filipino troops to enter Japan for joint combat training.

Tokyo has also been supportive of Manila’s stance on respecting international law, including the 2016 arbitral decision that nullified China’s wide-reaching maritime claim in the South China Sea and affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights over its exclusive economic zone.

Trade between the Philippines and Japan totaled P1.266 trillion in 2025. About 825,000 Filipinos visited Japan last year.