Tokyo, Japan
October 30, 2017

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe congenially shared friendly anecdotes during the ceremonial toast in a dinner held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo on the occasion of the President’s official visit to Japan.

Before raising his glass for the ceremonial toast, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reminisced the time when he visited President Duterte’s home in Davao and recounted the amount of feedback it garnered in the social media. “I was truly impressed by the rousing welcome extended to me and my wife and my delegation. The video clip featuring my stay in Davao City we put on the Prime Minister’s Facebook account page actually marked over 100 — 1.3 million access counts, the greatest ever,” he said.

Adding that, 90% of those who viewed the clip online were Filipinos across the globe and that only 10% were actually Japanese. “I would like to encourage Japanese to pay more attention to my Facebook account,” he said jokingly.

The Prime Minister perceives this as testament to the family-like and brotherly closeness shared between the Philippines and Japan.

On the other hand, President Duterte vowed to work hard in keeping the close ties strong. “I will strive to keep that friendship, amity and cooperation between us, our nations and our peoples going from strength to further strength,” he said.

Raising his glass, the President toasted for “the continued good health and happiness of His Majesty Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, to the continued success and good health of Your Excellency Prime Minister Shinzo Abe; to the peace and prosperity of the Japanese people; and to the enduring camaraderie and harmony between the Philippines and Japan.”

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