STRONGER PH-JAPAN TIES. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (center) delivers his speech before the Special Joint Session of Congress, led by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri (left) and Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Saturday (Nov. 4, 2023). Kishida pledged to do his utmost to ensure that the strong friendship between Japan and the Philippines would further develop in the future. (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)
MANILA – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday cited the deepened relationship between Japan and the Philippines in recent years, as he reaffirmed his commitment to take the two countries’ relations to new heights.
“The Philippines, with the second largest population among ASEAN countries and more than 300,000 citizens living in Japan, is an irreplaceable partner for Japan. I am honored to have the opportunity to be the first Japanese Prime Minister to speak here at the Congress of the Philippines, which has a long tradition,” Kishida said before the Special Joint Session of Congress at the House of Representatives in Quezon City.
He recalled the speech delivered by former Prime Minister Fukuda Takeo in Manila in the presence of President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., where the former Japanese leader expressed his desire to build a heart-to-heart relationship of trust with Southeast Asia, including the Philippines.
“Today, Japan-Philippines relationship have reached the point of being called a ‘golden age,’” Kishida said. “I believe that the people-to-people connection is the bedrock of this relationship.”
The Japanese leader cited that in January 2016, which marked the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Their Majesties, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, visited the Philippines.
In February this year, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., together with House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, visited Japan.
In addition, various exchanges and cooperation between the two countries are underway, such as the recent visit of members of the Japan-Philippines Parliamentarians’ Friendship League to the Senate and the House, and cooperation on security and defense, investments, and climate change.
Defense and security
Kishida noted that Japan has provided 12 ships to the Philippine Coast Guard to play a part in improving maritime security capability and a Japanese firm delivered a warning and control radar to the Philippine Air Force last month to improve Air Domain Awareness.
On Friday, Japan agreed with the Philippines to provide coastal surveillance radars to the Philippine Navy as the first cooperation project in the world under Japan’s newly established Official Security Assistance this year.
“Furthermore, we concurred with President Marcos to commence formal negotiations on a Japan-Philippines reciprocal access agreement. Japan intends to further deepen strategic cooperation with the Philippines in the future,” he said.
Economy and investment
Kishida noted that Japan is the largest donor to the Philippines and one of the largest investors in the Philippines on a private-sector basis.
"Through the 600-billion-yen public-private assistance announced in February, which runs through March next year, we will continue to support economic and social development, in line with President Marcos’ Build Better More program,” he said.
“Furthermore, public-private partnerships and investments in companies that contribute to decarbonization are also underway. The public and private sectors are eagerly working together to support the economic growth of the Philippines.”
Cooperation on global issues
Kishida likewise pointed out that Japan and the Philippines have similarly deepened coordination in addressing global issues, including nuclear disarmament and climate change.
As a native of Hiroshima, the Japanese leader said he considers nuclear disarmament as his lifework and pledged to continue promoting realistic and practical efforts toward a "world without nuclear weapons.”
Kishida said he was pleased that in September, Japan was able to co-host the Commemorative High-Level Event on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo.
“Regarding climate change, which the Marcos administration also attaches great importance to, we are deepening cooperation on energy transition through the realization of the Asia Zero Emissions Community (AZEC) concept,” he said.
“In December, we will hold the AZEC summit meeting, and will work with participating countries to pursue the common goal of Net Zero via various pathways for energy transitions according to each country’s circumstance.”
Kishida said Japan also welcomes the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of tourism, and expressed optimism that efforts, such as the FIBA Basketball World Cup co-hosted by Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia in August and September, will lead to greater relations even up to the next generation.
People-to-people connection
“As I have mentioned, the relationship between Japan and the Philippines has made great strides over the past half-century… (and) I believe that the people-to-people connection is the bedrock of this relationship,” Kishida said. “Indeed, exchanges between the peoples of the two countries have been unwavering.”
He said that after the magnitude 9.0 East Japan earthquake and tsunami in 2011, the Philippines sent a medical assistance team, and Filipino caregiver candidates remained in the affected areas to provide dedicated care.
“We cannot abandon the elderly people,” he said.
In return, when Super Typhoon Yolanda struck in 2013, Japanese people from the disaster-stricken area of Tohoku went to the Philippines to assist in the recovery and reconstruction efforts, he said.
About 18,000 died in the Japan quake in the Tohoku region while at least 6,000 perished in the Yolanda tragedy in Eastern Visayas.
“This kind of relationship is what former Prime Minister of Japan Fukuda articulated, a heart-to-heart relationship. I believe that it is the responsibility of those living in the present, to take the heart-to-heart ties established by our predecessors to new heights and pass them on to the next generation,” the Japanese premier said.
Subway project
Kishida and Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista likewise checked the construction progress of the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), a mega railway system funded by the Japan government.
Bautista showed Kishida the launching shaft of the subway's tunnel boring machine in its depot in Valenzuela City.
"The subway will improve the mobility of passengers and inter-city connectivity," Bautista said of the MMSP, one of nine flagship transport infrastructure projects funded by the Japanese.
Through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Philippines is among the top beneficiaries of Japan's Official Development Assistance.
The 33-kilometer, 17-station subway will stretch from Valenzuela City to Paranaque City, with a spur line to Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City.
Once completed, the underground rail system is expected to reduce travel time between Valenzuela City and Pasay City from 90 minutes to just 35 and service over 500,000 passengers daily.
Worthwhile
“I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the warm hospitality upon my visit to the Philippines. I will continue to do my utmost to ensure that the strong friendship between Japan and the Philippines will last and further develop in the future,” Kishida said in his Congress' speech.
Romualdez thanked Kishida for sharing his time and insights with the Philippine Congress.
“In the spirit of unity and partnership, we extend our sincere and heartfelt appreciation to his excellency, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio. With reverence and hope for our shared future, today's discourse fortifies the bridge between our great nations,” he said in a statement. (PNA)
