THE golden anniversary celebration of the normalization of Philippines-Japan diplomatic relations was launched recently with a festive opening event at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), with Japanese Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Yasuhisa Shiozaki in attendance. The Japanese official said Philippines-Japan relations have reached a "peer-to-peer’’ level and have flourished on the principle of mutual confidence.
The relations between our countries have been cemented not only by significant economic relations but also by the fact that people-to-people exchanges have continued to grow over the years. The number of Filipinos living in Japan is larger than that of any other group of Southeast Asian nations. The number of Filipinos visiting Japan annually is also the largest in the region.
Philippines-Japan relations have also been characterized by a genuine and sustained concern of the latter to support Philippine development. The Philippines is one of the top recipients of Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) on a per capita basis, with the cumulative amount of Japan’s ODA totaling more than billion over the past two decades. This aid has gone to various development projects, from infrastructure to education, livelihood, and the promotion of our cultural heritage.
Relations between the Philippines and Japan have expanded to multilateral dimensions with the two countries playing an important role in the region, especially as the Philippines assumes the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this coming July.
In partnership with the rest of the ASEAN and its dialogue partners, the two countries are poised not only to work closely with each other but also to promote peace, good governance, and development in the region.
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