Tokyo, Japan
December 17, 2023

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. joined fellow leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the Opening Session of the Commemorative Summit for the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation in Tokyo, Japan.

This year’s Summit commemorated the five-decade strong partnership between the regional bloc and Japan anchored in mutual trust, peace and prosperity. According to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, it is anchored in co-creating a society and economy that can benefit both Japan and ASEAN Member States.

For his part, President Marcos Jr. emphasized that the Summit presents an opportunity for the Philippines to reaffirm the country’s position in various issues that concern the region. He reassured the government’s active engagements with its counterparts to further advance the nation’s interest, as the Administration continues to promote peace, security and prosperity for the well-being of all Filipinos.

The Philippines and Japan formally established relations in 1956. Since then, Japan has become one of the country’s strategic parters in various areas of mutual cooperation such as trade, infrastructure, defense, manufacturing and Official Development Assistance (ODA), among others.

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