Pathways of Progress for Stronger Japan-Philippines Ties

Mabuhay! Ako po si Endo Kazuya; maaari n’yo rin akong tawaging “Kuya Kazuya.” I have had the distinct honor of serving as the Ambassador of Japan to the Philippines since April this year.

Even as my tour of duty has just begun, I have found myself profoundly roused by the dynamic developments in Japan-Philippines relations.

Since our two nations became strategic partners in 2011, our relationship has flourished, evolving into a bond of indispensable neighbors across the ocean, united by shared values and key interests. I felt this through all my meetings in the four months since my arrival, including my calls to leaders of this country President Marcos Jr., the Senate President, the House Speaker and Cabinet.

The steadfastness of our cooperation is evident. Last year, President Marcos made two visits to Japan, and Prime Minister Kishida reciprocated with a historic visit to the Philippines. 

These visits underscored our robust and expanding partnership. Our bilateral collaboration is extending toward trilateral efforts as the first ever US-Japan-Philippines Summit in Washington, D.C. on 11 April, which clearly represented how our cooperation is needed. 

Together, our three countries were determined to vigorously promote not only security cooperation, but also cooperation in the economic field. This extends to the Luzon Economic Corridor, strengthening of supply chains for critical goods like semiconductors and critical minerals, and enhancing ties in the information and communications sector, particularly through Open RAN cooperation. 

The inaugural steering committee meeting on the Luzon Economic Corridor, held on 21 May, signifies our commitment to forwarding infrastructure cooperation. Japan’s contribution to the Metro Manila Subway Project and the North-South Commuter Railway Project further illustrates our dedication to these efforts.

And with the memories still fresh, Foreign Minister KAMIKAWA Yoko and Defense Minister KIHARA Minoru visited the Philippines and held the 2nd Japan-Philippines 2+2 Meeting with Foreign Affairs Secretary Manalo and Defense Secretary Teodoro on 8 July. 

Earmarking this pivotal strategic engagement, the Japan-Philippines Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), with the purpose of facilitating the smooth implementation of joint exercises, disaster relief and other cooperative activities by the two countries, was signed in Malacañang in the presence of President Marcos, and is expected to enhance interoperability between the forces of the two countries.

At the Japan-Philippines 2+2 meeting, the four ministers expressed their strong opposition to any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo in the East China Sea and the South China Sea by force or coercion. They shared serious concerns over actions that increase tensions in the region, particularly the recent dangerous activities at Second Thomas Shoal, and concurred to call for the adherence to international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 

Building on these efforts, we intend to further promote security and defense cooperation between the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Since I came to the Philippines, I have been remarkably impressed by one fact: that so many Filipinos visit Japan and enjoy Japanese culture. Between January and May of this year, a record high of about 340,000 Filipinos explored Japan, immersing themselves in its rich culture. With the upcoming Expo 2025 in Osaka, Kansai, Japan next year, featuring the Philippine Pavilion, we hope that Filipinos will continue to experience Japan’s diverse attractions.

I am also looking forward to visiting the different regions of the Philippines myself. In my tour of the Philippines thus far, I have visited Bataan Province in April to attend the 82nd “Day of Valor” commemoration, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in June, and Cebu in July to attend the opening ceremony of the Taiheiyo Cement’s new plant. 

In the BARMM, I was able to have fruitful discussions with local officials on issues such as the efforts of the Bangsamoro Parliament to consolidate democracy and the achievements of the peace process as well as its future challenges, while in Cebu, I explored possibilities for how Japan can best develop its relationship with Cebu. I look forward to visiting more areas of the Philippines in the future.

Just as the Philippines has been eyeing Japan for collaborative ventures, Japan has been keeping an equally keen eye out for business opportunities in the Philippines. 

At present, UNIQLO has the largest number of stores in the Philippines among Southeast Asian countries, and Nitori, which opened in the Mitsukoshi BGC this April, is also set to attract many customers. 

In addition, the Hankyu Corporation will be participating in the operation and maintenance of the LRT Line 1 in cooperation with JICA, which is expected to further cooperation between Japan and the Philippines in the railroad sector. It is also worth mentioning that Japanese companies are also participating in the MRT Line 3 project, the very line that Minister Kamikawa performed a test ride on during her visit last month.

Culturally, it is heartening to see Japanese anime captivating Filipino audiences. Throughout the year, events inspired by the cultural phenomenon are being held with hundreds of participants. While modern Japanese culture thrives, our traditional Japanese culture also holds a unique appeal that I feel is deserving of further introduction. On 3 July, I attended the opening event of the Japan Foundation’s “Yakishime: Earth Metamorphosis” exhibition celebrating Yakishime, a traditional art form developed in Japan since the 12th century in which clay is molded under intense heat to produce exquisite ceramics. Such elegantly crafted Yakishime are currently on exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila in BGC until 31 July, which I encourage all to visit, enjoy and experience.

The power of sports continues to unite our nations. In the men’s Volleyball Nations League held in Manila last June, the Japanese team performed remarkably, thanks to the tremendous support of Filipino fans. In women’s golf, Ms. SASO Yuka, who is Filipino-Japanese, won the US Women’s Open Golf Championship for the second time. I would like to take this time to congratulate Ms. Yuka for achieving such an exceptional feat.

In two years’ time, Japan and the Philippines will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations in 1956. Inspired by this upcoming milestone, I am determined to continue to promote Japan-Philippines relations in a wide range of fields.