TOKYO – At least 114 Manila-based businessmen joined President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s five-day official visit to Japan.
At a luncheon and networking event in Tokyo with Japanese business leaders, Marcos revealed that he brought with him a diverse group of 114 Flipino businessmen, highlighting the good relations of the government with the private sector in Manila.
He said these businessmen are engaged in activities that span the whole gamut of Japan-centric business opportunities — manufacturing, construction, real estate, retail, food service, trading, telecommunications, aviation, recruitment, mining and agribusiness.
Facing heads of premier Japanese business organizations at the event, Marcos said he was delighted to be among industry captains and top-ranking executives representing big businesses as well as associations whose members include small and medium enterprises, management and importers.
“On the morning of the first day, our Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Pascual reported that the business matching event that DTI arranged for 85 Philippine companies yielded more than 255 meetings with Japanese counterparts,” Marcos said in his remarks.
“In the afternoon, our delegates also visited a facility in Odaiba that was built by a company that began as a startup and today builds ultra-compact space crafts for comet explorations.”
The chief executive is hopeful that the event could help Filipino delegates forge new connections in business, and act on opportunities and new knowledge.
“Hopefully beyond profit and commerce, these partnerships will now extend to lifelong friendships which will promote and will encourage the deepening and the strengthening of the ties between Japan and the Philippines,” Marcos said.
He recognized the “unique business landscape” of Japan, saying that the networks of independent manufacturers, supply chain partners, distributors and financiers work efficiently and harmoniously to ensure the success of the whole business ecosystem.