TOKYO, JAPAN – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has his eye on building “stronger defense and security cooperation” with Japan as he begins his five-day official visit here on Wednesday.
In an interview aboard Philippine Airlines flight PR-001, Marcos said Japan and the Philippines are “interested in the same thing” such as “security in the region.”
“This is a new element to our relationship because we are now talking about the security of the region. So being, of course, all interested in the same things, i.e., security in the region, I think cooperation is not a bad thing,” he told journalists on the presidential plane en route to Tokyo.
Departing Manila at 1:01 p.m., Marcos arrived at the Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) at 5:35 p.m. (Manila time 4:35 p.m.)
Throughout the years, Marcos said the country’s dealings with Japan have been limited to loan agreements, humanitarian assistance, aid provision, and trade, thus maintaining security cooperation will be new for both nations.
Alongside his Cabinet members and private sector representatives, Marcos said he will work on further strengthening “bonds of friendship with a close neighbor, like-minded and future-oriented like us in many ways, and a most reliable partner in times of both crises and of prosperity.”
In his departure speech earlier that day in Pasay City, Marcos said he will be cultivating collaboration in areas “where future synergies and complementary interests converge with those of Japan.”
“My bilateral visit to Japan is essential. It is part of a larger foreign policy agenda to forge closer political ties, stronger defense, and security cooperation, as well as lasting economic partnerships with major countries in the region amid a challenging global environment.”
(Photo by Yummie Dingding)