Tokyo, Japan
February 9, 2023

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed strong commitment in renewing the long-standing ties between the Philippines and Japan as they witnessed the exchange of various agreements that are geared towards the deepening engagements of the two nations across a wider range of mutually beneficial cooperation.

A total of seven (7) agreements were signed by the Philippines’ Economic Team and their Japanese counterparts. These are: Exchange of Notes on Japanese Official Development Project: North-South Commuter Railway Extension (NSCR) Project (II); Exchange of Notes on Japanese Official Development Project: NSCR – Malolos to Tutuban Project (II); Loan Agreement for the NSCR Extension Project (II); Loan Agreement for the NSCR- Malolos to Tutuban Project (II); Umbrella Term of Reference (TOR) on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Cooperation; Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) between the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on Agriculture Cooperation; and MOC in the Field of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

In a joint press statement, President Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Kishida renewed the efforts in continuing the Philippines-Japan cooperation on a full range of bilateral relations.

Both leaders vowed to work together to strengthen the overall security and defense capabilities between the two countries. This will be done through “strategic reciprocal port calls and aircraft visit, transfer of more defense equipment and technology, continuous cooperation on previously-transferred defense equipment and capacity building.”

“I can confidently say that our strategic partnership is stronger than ever as we navigate, together, the rough waters buffeting our region. The future of our relationship remains full of promise,” President Marcos Jr. remarked.

****