The Philippines-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee Inc. (PHILJEC) and its counterpart, the Japan-Philippines Economic Cooperation Committee (JPECC), held their 40th annual joint meeting on 15 March 2024, at the Grand Hyatt Manila, Bonifacio Global City.

Themed “Stronger Philippines-Japan Relations in the Next 10 Years – Japan, a Strategic Partner of the Philippines”, the meeting was structured into four plenary sessions: (1) CREATE Law – Enhancing Philippine Competitiveness; (2) Large-Scale Food Production Imperatives for the Philippines; (3) Harnessing Filipino Human Resources; and (4) Triggers for Increased Japanese Investments in the Philippines.

The meeting was keynoted by BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona. Congratulatory messages from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio were also received.

The 40-man JPECC delegation was headed by Hirako Yuji, Vice-Chairman of ANA Holdings Corporation. A day before the Meeting, PHILJEC arranged a courtesy call by JPECC on Transport Secretary Jaime J. Bautista and the Department of Transport Management Team composed of the Department’s five Undersecretaries.

In his welcome remarks, PHILJEC Chairman and Science Park of the Philippines Inc. President Richard I. Osmond said that “the friendship and business cooperation between Japan and the Philippines started way beyond 50 years ago” while noting that the two countries’ relations face “bigger challenges as the world is drastically changing in terms of its climate, economic and business landscape, and culture.”

In his response, JPECC Chairman Hirako noted that there are now over 200,000 Filipinos working in Japan, a number that is expected to steadily increase in view of Japan’s ageing and declining population. He expressed hope that highly skilled Filipino professionals will gain meaningful, long-term employment in Japan.

PHILJEC was established 50 years ago in 1974 and has since served as the primary counterpart of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), and Keizai Douyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives). PHILJEC Chairman Osmond heads a 10-man board, assisted by his two co-Chairmen Alfred V. Ty, Chairman of Toyota Motor Philippines Inc. and Ferdinand A. Ferrer, President/CEO of Gruppo EMS and Chairman of the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Inc. (SEIPI).