Japan backs Philippine infrastructure push

The Philippines has secured fresh backing from Japan for big-ticket infrastructure projects and renewed investor confidence from Kansai’s top business leaders, reaffirming Tokyo’s role as Manila’s most reliable partner in growth and development.

During a series of high-level meetings on 11 September 2025 in Japan, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto led the Philippine economic team in Osaka to engage Japanese government officials and business executives. The discussions centered on expanding cooperation in infrastructure, trade, and investment, with both sides underscoring decades of trusted partnership.

Japan committed to continued financing support for flagship projects, including the Second San Juanico Bridge Construction Project linking Leyte and Samar, the Parañaque Spillway designed to protect Laguna Lakeshore communities from flooding, and the Philippine Coast Guard Support Facility in Subic Bay to enhance maritime safety.

Steady progress in cooperation

“Today’s discussions confirmed steady progress in cooperation across various fields, including large-scale infrastructure development, disaster prevention, information and communications, energy, and the Mindanao peace process,” said Dr. Mori Masafumi, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Japan.

The Philippine team was composed of Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Secretary Arsenio Balisacan; Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque; Department of Energy Secretary Sharon Garin; and senior officials from the Department of Budget and Management, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Japan remains the Philippines’ largest official development assistance (ODA) provider, with commitments amounting to around $14.19 billion (P805.76 billion) or nearly 40 percent of the country’s total ODA portfolio as of March.

KanKeiren

On the investment front, Recto addressed the Kansai Economic Federation (Kankeiren), one of Japan’s most influential business groups representing over 1,300 corporations across key industries.

He pitched the Philippines as a competitive and reliable growth destination, highlighting ongoing reforms such as the CREATE MORE Act, which offers a more attractive package of tax and non-fiscal incentives while easing restrictions for exporters.

“In the Philippines, you are in the right place, at the right time, with the right partners, and the right opportunities to win big,” Recto told Japanese investors.