PHL, Japan to forge strategic ties

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said the Philippines and Japan are preparing to elevate their ties to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” signaling deeper coordination on security, supply chains and emerging technologies as geopolitical tensions reshape the Indo-Pacific.

“The Philippines and Japan are moving to elevate our relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the highest tier in our diplomatic framework and a first for the Philippines,” he said before the Japan-Philippines Parliamentary Friendship League on Wednesday.

The planned partnership is expected to expand cooperation beyond defense into critical minerals, artificial intelligence, clean energy, and digital transformation.

The President is currently in a four-day state visit to Tokyo, the first for a Philippine leader in 11 years.

Mr. Marcos also highlighted Manila’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, with Japanese backing, potentially opening wider access to regional trade and investment flows.

He said the two countries are exploring broader industrial collaboration, including defense manufacturing and technology exchange, which could support workforce development and supply-chain diversification.

The visit coincides with the 70^th anniversary of diplomatic normalization between the Philippines and Japan.

Also on Wednesday, Malacañang said Mr. Marcos is optimistic that his state visit to Japan will translate into fresh investment commitments as more Japanese stakeholders and businesses express interest in expanding into the Philippines.

“Many stakeholders and investors have expressed interest in investing in our country,” Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro said in Filipino via Viber, adding that the administration’s anti-corruption campaign and efforts to streamline government processes are aimed at strengthening investor confidence.

The remarks come amid lingering caution among Japanese firms in doing business in the Philippines, despite increasingly close ties between Tokyo and Manila.

A Nikkei Asia report on May 27 said companies remain concerned about high electricity costs, regulatory uncertainty, infrastructure gaps, and governance issues, even as the Marcos administration accelerates investment reforms.

“We can see the work undertaken by the President, the administration’s fight against corruption in the country, and the rollout of processes that will make it easier for investors,” Ms. Castro added.

“These are positive actions aimed at further strengthening investors’ confidence.”

The Philippines is reeling from a graft scandal that erupted last year, which dented its economic growth, compounded by the economic impacts of the ongoing Middle East crisis.

Japan remains one of the Philippines’ largest trade and investment partners, with Mr. Marcos seeking to secure more investments in infrastructure, energy and supply chains during his four-day Tokyo visit.

The trip also highlights growing strategic cooperation between the two countries amid rising regional security tensions.

Japanese businesses have increasingly compared the Philippines with regional peers such as Vietnam and Indonesia, which are viewed as offering more predictable policies and stronger manufacturing ecosystems. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana