Red, blue, white and yellow recently climbed the face of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku, marking 70 years since the Philippines and Japan restored diplomatic relations.

Philippine Ambassador Mylene Albano joined Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and Senators Migs Zubiri and JV Ejercito for the ceremonial countdown.

The illumination was a first for the two countries at the landmark building.

It was also unusually public.

Diplomatic anniversaries are often observed inside hotel ballrooms, where the flags are small, the speeches are long and almost nobody outside the guests notices.

This one was thrown across one of Tokyo’s best-known buildings.

Albano said the display marked the strength of the relationship and the beginning of what she called a “platinum era” of cooperation.

Relations were restored in 1956, little more than a decade after the devastation of the Japanese occupation.

In the 70 years since, the two countries have built close economic, political and security ties, while thousands of Filipinos have made lives in Japan.

After the lighting ceremony, Albano, Zubiri and Ejercito met Tokyo officials, including Atsushi Kuwabara, a former Japanese diplomat posted in Manila, as well as Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ayano Kunimitsu and senior Japanese lawmakers.

They also sat down with Japan International Cooperation Agency President Akihiko Tanaka.

The talks covered defense, infrastructure and regional security, including Japan’s planned transfer of Abukuma-class destroyer escorts to the Philippine Navy and possible Japanese support for the long-delayed Mindanao Railway.

The senators were in Tokyo for the 2026 Philippines-Japan Year of Friendship Symposium and a two-day round of meetings arranged with support from the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.