MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to place energy and security cooperation at the center of discussions with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during his state visit to Japan next week.
Marcos is scheduled to travel to Japan from May 26 to 29.
Speaking with Japanese media in Malacañang on Monday, Marcos said the Philippines is continuing to strengthen engagement with Japan as Tokyo expands its role in regional energy initiatives.
“We will again try to engage Japan and to see how it will work together with Japan, as Japan has now taken a more active role when it comes to the subject of energy and the energy supply,” he said.
He also acknowledged Japan’s support in helping Manila address ongoing energy supply challenges.
“We are actually very grateful to Japan because Japan has been of great assistance to us in trying to find different solutions for the supply of the different kinds of fuel. And that has become a critical part of our policy,” he added.
The Philippines stands to benefit from Japan’s proposed $10 billion initiative aimed at enhancing energy security and stabilizing supply chains across Asia through the Partnership on Wide Energy and Resources Resilience (POWERR Asia), launched by Takaichi in April.
Marcos said Manila is seeking greater clarity on the framework and regional linkages of the initiative.
“And we will again try to get more clarity on what the POWERR Asia system that has been proposed by Prime Minister Takaichi. What does it mean in terms of linkages between our different countries, between the Philippines and Japan, and between all of the countries in the region?” he said.
Security cooperation is also expected to feature prominently in the talks.
Marcos cited existing defense agreements between the two countries, including the Reciprocal Access Agreement and the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement signed in January, which are set to be further discussed for full implementation.
Japan’s participation in this year’s Balikatan exercises marked its first full-scale involvement in the annual drills between the Philippines and the United States, a development Marcos said highlights growing interoperability and defense cooperation among partners.
He also noted Japan’s continued assistance in modernizing the Armed Forces of the Philippines, including support for radar and communications systems, information-sharing initiatives, and personnel training.
The visit comes as the Philippines and Japan mark 70 years since the normalization of diplomatic relations this year. - Florenda Corpuz
(File Photo: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. meets members of the Filipino community at Bellesalle Tokyo on Feb. 12, 2023. | Din Eugenio)
