HOOPS

Toyota PH celebrates 70 years of Japan-PH friendship with B.LEAGUE games

DT · Oct 12, 2026, 12:34 PM

GILAS Pilipinas standouts Dwight Ramos (right) and AJ Edu (left) strike a pose during Tuesday’s presentation of the Japan B.League Manila Games. Ramos plays for Levanga Hokkaido while Edu suits up for Gunma Crane. — Photograph by Yummie Dingding for DAILY TRIBUNE

Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) marked the 70 years of Japan-Philippines relations by supporting the B.LEAGUE Manila Games 2026, a two-game series held last 9-10 September at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

The event brought Japan’s professional basketball league closer to Filipino fans, highlighting how shared passions like basketball create opportunities for connection between the two countries.

“The 70-year relationship between Japan and the Philippines has been built not only through economic and diplomatic ties, but also through meaningful connections between our people. Basketball is one of the shared passions that brings our communities together, and TMP is proud to support experiences like the B.LEAGUE Manila Games that help strengthen these connections,” said TMP President Masando Hashimoto.

The Manila Games highlighted the growing people-to-people ties between Japan and the Philippines, with cultural exchanges in tourism, business, education, and the arts helping foster mutual understanding over the years.

Hashimoto also emphasized Toyota’s contribution to the bilateral relationship through decades of automotive business in the Philippines, supporting local manufacturing, employment, skills development, and the growth of the Philippine automotive industry.

The games gave Filipino fans the opportunity to watch Dwight Ramos of Levanga Hokkaido and AJ Edu of Gunma Crane Thunders play for their respective B.LEAGUE teams.

TMP also hosted the TOYOTA Challenge Zone, where attendees participated in interactive basketball challenges and won prizes.