Will he chew gum? Japan wary over visit by Philippine leader

US ally concerned about Duterte’s links with China

TOKYO // Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte arrived in Tokyo yesterday for a three- day visit, his first since becoming president in June.

For diplomats and political leaders, the main issue is his US policy and how Japan can help mend those ties.

Tokyo is a major US ally and has watched with concern as Mr Duterte criticised the US and said he would scale back his country’s military engagement with Washington.

He has also worried Japan and the US by reaching out to China.

Japanese foreign minister Fumio Kishida said that during the visit, he and prime minister Shinzo Abe planned to ask Mr Duterte what his real intentions were.

The worries about Mr Duterte were reinforced yesterday when he lashed out at the US again and urged foreign businesses in the Philippines to pack up and leave if they were worried about his deadly drug war. He voiced outrage at comments the previous day by the top US envoy to Asia that his fiery rhetoric and crime war, which has claimed about 3,700 lives in four months, were bad for business.

“These Americans are really crazy. Their style is to walk here. They think they are somebodies,” Mr Duterte said, as he held up a newspaper with headlines reporting the criticism from US assistant secretary of state Daniel Russel.

“Russel says ‘ Duterte comments causing worries in business communities’. Then you pack up and leave. We will recover, I assure you.”

He also made a veiled threat to revoke a 2014 defence pact allowing large numbers of US troops, warships and planes to enter the Philippines for com- bat drills. In Japan, a country where formality and politeness are highly valued, some are worried about Mr Duterte’s rough side, particularly when he meets Emperor Akihito on Friday. Japanese TV shows have repeatedly shown Mr Duterte apparently chewing gum at meetings and other public occasions.

In footage of a meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping, Mr Duterte walked in with his hands in his pockets and chewed gum during the handshake and a signing ceremony. “When he makes a courtesy visit to the emperor, his behavior could have a major impact,” said senior politician Itsunori Onodera.

“I trust he understands the consequences and would not do such a thing as chewing gum. I do hope the Philippine side will remind him of that particular point.”