Japan PM: Ties with Philippines have reached golden age

MANILA, Philippines — Japan and the Philippines have reached the “golden age” of bilateral relations, according to visiting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who vowed on Friday to work with President Marcos to take the two countries’ friendship “to even newer heights.”

“Japan and the Philippines are now experiencing an excellent relationship – we call it the golden age. I look forward to working with President Marcos to take these bilateral relations to even newer heights,” Kishida said as he raised a toast at an official banquet at Malacañang Friday night.

Marcos, for his part, thanked Japan for its support for the Philippines, saying the 67-year-old diplomatic relations between the two countries have been “cultivated by common principles of democracy, respect for basic human rights and the rule of law.”

“Japan has provided us steadfast support and unwavering friendship through many decades. With patient and undistracted focus, we are building our realm of freedom, prosperity and security together in the Indo-Pacific,” the President said.

“Excellency, please bring home this message to the Japanese people, that for their support, the Filipino people are grateful. Let us renew our commitment to sustaining the vigor of this relationship in its prime,” he added, addressing Kishida.

In his two-day official visit, which ended yesterday, Kishida recalled the upgrading in 2011 of the two nations’ bilateral ties to strategic partnership.

During his visit, the Philippines and Japan inked agreements on security, defense, maritime cooperation, mining and tourism industries. Marcos said the deals would “propel the momentum” of the two countries’ ties in the coming years.

The two countries also exchanged notes on official security assistance, wherein Japan will provide the Philippines a grant worth 600 million yen or about P235.5 million for the acquisition of coastal radars that will improve the military’s maritime domain awareness capability.

Japan will also grant the Philippines 957 million yen or $6 million to mitigate the impact of floods in the Bangsamoro region. Also signed were cooperation agreements on mining and tourism.

The highlight of the visit was the two