First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos met recently with Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya and his wife, Endo Akiko, and shared with them a taste of Filipino cuisine by serving the classic dish sinigang.

“A wonderful evening of friendship, warm conversation, and a delightful surprise — the Japanese rendition of our very own sinigang. Truly memorable,” the First Lady said in a Facebook post.

The meeting followed a visit by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the First Lady to the ambassador’s residence, where the evening was marked by a cultural exchange and a cordial discussion.

The visit comes days ahead of the President’s state visit to Japan, where talks are expected to center on economic cooperation, regional security and strengthening bilateral ties.

“My sincere thanks to His Excellency, Endo Kazuya and Madame Endo Akiko for graciously welcoming us into their home. We deeply appreciate your kindness and hospitality as we prepare for the President’s state visit to Japan next week,” Mrs. Marcos said.

Earlier, President Marcos said the Philippines aims to further strengthen its partnership with Japan, while seeking to ensure energy security amid the ongoing Middle East crisis.