Heeding the call of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to bring in investments from Japan, Presidential Special Envoy to Japan, Dr. Reghis Romero II recently initiated engagements with major Japanese companies.

The engagements, which were part of a three-day Osaka Business Partner City Mission to the Philippines, were held at the Manila Hotel in partnership with investment promotions agencies such as the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, the Department of Trade and Industry and its attached agency Board of Investments, and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Osaka.

“The campaign had been geared to turn Japan into the country’s top source of foreign investments,” Dr. Romero II was quoted as saying during a roundtable conference with Japanese investors from Osaka City.

The business mission came a month after the President’s four-day state visit to Japan which Marcos Jr said, “went according to plan and beyond” expectations evidenced by the investment pledges from Japanese businesses amounting to $13 billion.

The special envoy led Osaka businessmen in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Rizal Monument in Luneta to honor the country’s national hero Dr. Jose Rizal.

Romero, who holds the distinction of former Supreme Commander, is now a member of the Council of Elders of the Order of the Knights of Rizal — the country’s Order of Chivalry that is created to honor and uphold the ideals of the Philippine national hero.

Meanwhile, Aleem Siddiqui Guiapal, PEZA OIC-Deputy Director General for Finance and Administration, said Japanese investors are satisfied and convinced to pour more investments in the country.

“There was definitely interest generated. This is a follow-through to the President’s visit to Japan. It stirs investment opportunities. From government to government, we moved from business-to-business and people to people. Especially for PEZA, we intend to sustain Japan’s presence as our No.1 export source of revenue in the ecozones,” Guiapal said in a Viber interview.

Osaka City and the City of Manila are charter signatories of the Business Partner City Agreement signed in 1989.

This year, the annual Business Partner City or BPC conference was held in Manila, the first physical meeting with other participating member cities since the onset of the pandemic.

Osaka firms eyed

The official BPC delegation includes a business delegation representing Japanese companies based in Osaka City, who have engaged with their Philippine counterparts in a series of high-level networking events, meetings, and site visits.

Delegates from Osaka City include: Mako Orihara, director for Business and International Promotion, Economic Strategy Bureau; Takayuki Toriyama, manager for International Relations, Business, and International Promotion Division, Economic Strategy Bureau; Tomomi Sano, assistant manager for International Relations, Business and International Promotion Division, Economic Strategy Bureau; and Rui Namba, liaison officer for International Relations, Business and International Promotion Division, Economic Strategy Bureau.

Participating companies in the BPC conference were: Wonder Fulbeauty Co., Ltd.; Nikko Alliance Co.,Ltd.; Atlas Co., Ltd.; Nippon Kyohan Kogyo Co., Ltd.; RK Engineering Co., Ltd. (Nippon Kyohan Kogyo Co.,Ltd.); Think Stone, Kobata Gauge Mfg. Co., Ltd.; CareFort Co., Ltd.; Nishiken Devise Co.,Ltd.; Nunobiki Core Corporation; Shimanaka Co., Ltd.; GVA TNY Consulting Philippines Inc.; and NIHON KEIEI (Philippines) Inc.