As Japan and the Philippines approach their 70th anniversary of friendship in 2026, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuya Endo shared his thoughts on the continuing evolution of their strategic bilateral relationship.
“In recent years, Japan-Philippines relations have made remarkable progress in various areas such as security, economy and people-to-people exchanges,” he said. “Our ties have grown from strength to strength, strategically embracing realities toward mutual prosperity.”
On defense cooperation, the Philippines became one of the recipients of Japan’s Official Security Assistance and is the only country to be granted OSA funding for two consecutive years.
“Through this scheme, Japan has steadily supported the Philippines with military and defense equipment transfers to the Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force,” Endo noted. Referring to maritime cooperative activity, he also highlighted Japan’s promotion of multilateral cooperation in the Indo-Pacific “with other like-minded countries such as the United States, Australia and Canada.”
Recent high-level visits, including that of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, have paved the way for bolstering operational collaboration. “The visit marked significant progress on the Reciprocal Access Agreement and the start of negotiations on an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement,” Endo said.
On the economic front, Japan supports the Philippines through major infrastructure projects, such as the Metro Manila Subway Project, the North-South Commuter Railway and the Davao City Bypass Construction Project, along with initiatives on energy and digital infrastructure. “Japan is committed to leveraging its strengths and experience to support elevating the Philippines to an upper-middle-income status,” he added.
Endo views the Osaka Expo as a key opportunity to deepen bilateral ties. “The expo creates a space for deepening international business linkages and partnerships.”
With the 70th anniversary of friendship approaching, both countries look ahead to closer cooperation built on enduring friendship and shared regional goals.
Read the full interview here: sms-bridges.com/PH25-Amb
