Japan and the Philippines enter a golden age, necessity hardening friendship into strategy amid visits, accords, travel and tightening Indo-Pacific.
MEMBERS of the Philippine, Japan Cabinets in talks led by then-PM Ishiba Shigeru, who visited Manila last year to advance security, economic and diplomatic cooperation.
Photograph courtesy of PCO
Relations between Japan and the Philippins have settled into their strongest shape yet, forged as much by strategic need as by long familiarity.
That judgment came from Japanese ambassador to Manila Endo Kazuya who said the relationship has entered a “golden age” not as much flourish of diplomacy as a tally of facts: cooperation now spanning trade, culture, tourism, security at a moment when the old assurances of the Indo-Pacific no longer reliably hold.
The past year, he said, carried the marks of that momentum. Then-Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba traveled to Manila in April last year, followed by President Marcos’ visit to Tokyo in June.
Soon after taking office, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi held her first face-to-face talks with Marcos, a choice noted by diplomats as an early signal of Japan’s priorities in Southeast Asia.
Security cooperation, long handled with reserve, moved onto firmer ground. The Reciprocal Access Agreement between the two countries entered into force, establishing clear legal footing for joint activities.
An agreement in principle on an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement followed, pointing toward closer logistical coordination between their defense forces at a time of heightened regional tension.
Beyond chancelleries and briefing rooms, the relationship showed signs of life among ordinary citizens.
At Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, the Philippine Pavilion earned a Silver Prize, drawing steady crowds.
Travel also surged. Japanese visits to the Philippines have climbed since the pandemic’s end, while Filipino arrivals in Japan reached a record high, approaching 1 million.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic normalization and coincides with the Philippines’ assumption of the chairmanship of the Asean.
For the milestone, both governments adopted the theme “Weaving the Future Together: Peace, Prosperity, Possibilities,” a phrase Mr. Endo used to frame the year ahead as one of steady work, thread by thread, on a partnership meant to endure an increasingly challenging diplomatic landscape.
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