TOKYO/MANILA – Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will embark on an official visit to Japan from Feb. 8 to 12, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced on Wednesday.
During his five-day stay in the country, Marcos Jr. will hold a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and will attend a working dinner hosted by the Japanese premier. He is also scheduled to have an Imperial audience with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, the MOFA added.
The Japanese government hopes that the official visit by the Filipino leader will further deepen the bilateral cooperation between Japan and the Philippines.
Furthermore, Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs Neal Imperial said, in a Malacanang press briefing on the same day, that the two countries are expected to sign seven key bilateral agreements during Marcos Jr.’s visit.
He added that the President will also meet with the Filipino community in Tokyo before returning to Manila.
Marcos Jr. will be joined by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Speaker Martin Romualdez, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Energy Secretary Rafael Lotilla, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr., Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil, Bases Conversion and Development Authority Board of Directors Chairperson Delfin Lorenzana, and other Cabinet secretaries and undersecretaries.
The official visit will mark as Marcos Jr.’s first to Japan since he took office on June 30, 2022, and his second face-to-face meeting with Kishida after their first talk at the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September of last year. - Florenda Corpuz
(Article cover photo courtesy of Bongbong Marcos on Facebook)
