Aquino leaves for Japan today
President Aquino leaves for Japan today for a four-day State Visit to enhance strategic partnership with Japan and exchange views on recent developments in the region.
The territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea is expected to be discussed when President Aquino meets with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
This is Aquino’s sixth visit to Japan since he assumed office in 2010.
Upon arrival, President Aquino will pay a State Call and attend a State Banquet to be hosted by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhide Ishikawa, in a statement, said the State Visit of President Aquino to Japan brings both countries to a “crucial point” which surpasses the two countries’ Strategic Partnership.
“Such decisive action, forwarding the shared principles and goals in the Asia Pacific region and beyond, has been brought about by the
mutual recognition of our even closer and more dynamic relationship,” Kazuhide said.
“Japan had always been a partner and an ally in a lot of issues. The South China Sea issue is an issue that remains important to us and also, I think, to the rest of the region and the rest of the world. So we expect this issue to be discussed,” DFA Assistant Secretary Minda Cruz said.
Ambassador Kazuhide said both Japan and the Philippines “envision peace and stability, economic growth, and the accomplishment of human security worldwide.”
“Together, we uphold universal values, including freedom, democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and a free market. We believe that the State Visit will spark the initiative for cooperation in addressing challenges faced by the international community such as terrorism, infectious disease, and climate change,” Kazuhide said.
“It is our sincere aspiration that this State Visit will be the key which will unlock the potential for greater prosperity not only between Japan and the Philippines, but for all,” he said.
“We hope to help the region realize its full promise under the banner of “Proactive Contribution to Peace,” and we are confident our two countries will emerge firmer partners,” he added.
Address Japan’s Diet Meanwhile, the President is also scheduled to meet with representatives of the business sector as well as the Filipino community in Japan. He is also scheduled to speak at the special session of Nikkei Future of Asia Conference 2015.
According to Cruz, among the agreements that will be signed during President Aquino’s visit to Japan will be a memorandum of cooperation between the Ministry of Health and Labor and the Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH).
“This will focus particularly on universal healthcare system. It will also focus on management of hospitals and the use of technology in hospitals,” Cruz said.
She also said there will be a joint statement on enhanced cooperation between the Philippines and Japan.
President Aquino will also address the National Diet of Japan, a first for President Aquino.
“The Diet is the highest state organ in Japan, and it is a very good platform by which the President can also put forward what have been the developments in the Philippines over a period of time, and at the same time also the linkages between both countries,” Cruz said.
According to Cruz, not all foreign leaders who visit Japan are invited to speak before the National Diet, noting that Japan is one of the two strategic partners of the Philippines, the other one being the United States.
“It’s not a standard thing. So we are lucky we are given this opportunity for the President to speak before the Diet,” she said.
“We feel that as a strategic partner, there is recognition on this, and this is also the reason why there is that opportunity given for him to speak before the Diet,” she added.
Cruz said the President will likely focus on the Philippines’ development under his administration, as well as business opportunities available in the Philippines.
According to Cruz, the late former President Corazon Aquino, President Aquino’s mother, also spoke before Japan’s National Diet during one of her State Visits to Japan.
It will be President Aquino’s sixth visit to Japan since he assumed the presidency in 2010.
It will be recalled that President Aquino visited Japan in 2010 for the 18th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Yokohama; a Working Visit in August 2011 where he met with MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad as well as an Official Visit in September 2011, attendance to the 40th ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit in December, 2013; and a Working Visit in June 2014.