FOREIGN ministers of Japan and the Philippines, Hayashi Yoshimasa and Enrique Manalo, spoke over the phone Wednesday morning to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
Hayashi pitched Japan’s “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” strategy—an idea first broached by slain Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe—to suit the Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
Japan’s idea of FOIP is to develop a free and open Indo-Pacific region as “international public goods,” ensuring that a “rules-based international order” is observed. Japan’s sees ASEAN as the center of this diaspora of two oceans.
The Japanese Embassy in Manila quoted Manalo as committing to “continue communication on a wide range of agenda and further enhance the bilateral relations.” Manalo regards Japan as an “important partner in the region.”
Hayashi said Tokyo would like to identify a “new scope” of cooperation to support Manila’s post-pandemic economy recovery and its ambition to elevate its status as “upper middle-income.”
“Minister Hayashi expressed his intention to advance cooperation in agriculture, energy transitions, disaster risk reduction, and digital fields,” the Japanese Embassy said. Both ministers aagreed to advance relations on defense cooperation such as enhancing or facilitating military exercises between Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“Moreover, the two ministers exchanged views on regional and international issues including Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the situation in the East and South China Seas, and that surrounding Taiwan and in Myanmar, and affirmed that they would work together in dealing with these issues,” the Embassy added.
Image credits: AP/Aaron Favila