Phl-Japan ties is ‘gold standard’ for partnership

With the Philippine-Japan relations as the “Gold Standard,” the Parliamentarians’ League pledged firm support for the relations of the two countries at the general meeting of Philippine allies in the Japanese legislature.

Philippine Ambassador to Japan José Laurel V invited key Japanese legislators to continue extending their valuable political and legislative support to advance PhilippineJapan relations, at the General Meeting of National Diet members affiliated with the JapanPhilippine Parliamentarians’ Friendship League (JPPFL).

Chaired by the Nobuteru Ishihara (LDP, Tokyo-8th District), the JPPFL was formed in 1986 to advance legislative initiatives that promote positive engagement between the Philippines and Japan, and to lead Japan’s cultivation of inter-parliamentary relations with the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives.

The annual meeting was convened by the JPPFL as an opportunity for memberparliamentarians to meet the Ambassador and officials of the Philippine ambassy, as well as to receive a briefing from the Japanese Foreign Ministry on recent developments in Philippine-Japan ties.

“We can set Philippine-Japan relations as the “Gold Standard” for a partnership that is based on shared values, mutual respect, and mutually-beneficial cooperation,” Laurel said, as he replied to the welcome remarks of JPPFL Chair Ishihara.

The Ambassador provided a brief run-through of recent Japanese government cooperation initiatives and development assistance extended to the Philippines. The Ambassador also put forward suggested activities that the JPPFL can pursue in the coming months, in aid of Phl-Japan relations.

The JPPFL’s membership includes legislators from both the Japanese House of Councilors and House of Representatives, and from the various Japanese political parties.