Phl, Japan seal stronger bond

President Duterte recognized Japan’s generosity for funding the Road Network Development Project, which links the BARMM to Mindanao’s other trade centers and supports the region’s overall development.

The bilateral meeting between President Rodrigo Duterte and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yielded positive notes as both countries underscored their stronger strategic partnership, highlighted by Japan’s granting of a Philippine Consulate-General office in Nagoya.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo made this remark after the two leaders’ bilateral meeting at the sidelines of the recent 35th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits.

Panelo reported that President Duterte first expressed felicitations on the recent enthronement of Emperor Naruhito before he conveyed sympathies of the Filipino people over the destruction and losses caused by Typhoon “Hagibis” and on the fire that razed the historic Shuri castle.

Prime Minister Abe, meanwhile, thanked the Philippine President for his participation in the enthronement ceremony.

The Japanese leader also expressed his heartfelt condolences and sympathy in light of the series of earthquakes that recently occurred in Mindanao.

“The Filipino Chief Executive also thanked the Japanese leader for granting consent to our plan to open a Philippine Consulate-General in Nagoya, which the latter favorably responded to by saying that he is pleased and honored to have our presence in that city,” Panelo said.

“Both leaders likewise touched on subjects of regional and international concern, such as the issue surrounding the South China Sea and the situation in the Korean Peninsula,” he added.

On the South China Sea issue, both leaders discussed the drafting of the Code of Conduct to address the tensions in the affected region.

The two leaders talked about the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s latest ballistic missile launch and the longstanding issue of abduction of Japanese nationals.

President Duterte and PM Abe also covered a wide range of areas for cooperation, such as the peace process in Mindanao, the “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure projects (with emphasis on the eagerly-awaited Metro Manila Subway), the development of the Subic Bay, the dispatch of Filipino skilled labor force to Japan, agricultural trade (including tariffs of Philippine bananas and other fruits), the issue of comfort women and the participation of Japan-trained Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo in the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.

During his bilateral meeting with Abe in Nonthaburi, Thailand, on Monday, President Duterte expressed his gratitude to Japan for its assistance in the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

He said the creation of BARMM will help pave the way for a lasting peace and bring development to Mindanao.

At the same time, President Duterte recognized Japan’s generosity for funding the Road Network Development Project, which links the BARMM to Mindanao’s other trade centers and supports the region’s overall development.

As one of the staunch supporters of the Mindanao peace process, Japan vowed to continue supporting the political transition and capacity-building of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority.

Japan also made a commitment to the implementation of disarmament of Moro Islamic Liberation Front combatants, as well as the grant of socioeconomic development assistance to the Bangsamoro people.

During their bilateral meeting, President Duterte also took the opportunity to thanked Japan for assisting the Philippines in developing its infrastructures and enhancing its defense capability.

“I would like to give our heartfelt thanks for the Manila subway. It’s the first in the country and you are the only country which proposed to give it to us,” President Duterte said.

“I would like to again thank you for the air assets, the five TC-90s, UH-1H, we received from your government. We would hope to sustain this cooperation as my government looks for the acquisition of such aircraft and radar,” the Chief Executive told Abe.