Press Releases
Video Message from Foreign Minister MOTEGI at the "2026 Japan-Philippines Friendship Year Commemorative Symposium"
July 8, 2026
Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, delivered a video message on the occasion of “2026 Japan-Philippines Friendship Year Commemorative Symposium” being held on July 8th (hosted by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation). The outline of the message is as follows:
- In this historic milestone year marking the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Philippines, I paid the visit to the Philippines as my first overseas destination of the new year. In May, President Marcos and the First Lady paid the State Visit to Japan, which symbolized the closeness of our bilateral relationship. I had the privilege of listening to President Marcos' address to the National Diet, which was an outstanding speech that filled us with great hope for the future of our two countries.
- For Japan, the Philippines is a neighboring country across the sea and one of the closest like-minded countries sharing fundamental values and principles. The elevation of the bilateral relationship to the "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" shows our determination to continue strengthening bilateral relations in a sustained and multilayered manner without being swayed by changes in the international environment.
- Given the increasingly severe regional security environment, the two countries are steadily and expeditiously advancing cooperation in the security field. The Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA), which I signed together with Secretary Lazaro during my visit in January, successfully received approval from the National Diet last month. Moreover, we are also making progress in strengthening coordination in the field of economic security toward bolstering supply chain resilience, including critical minerals. These efforts contribute to peace and stability of the region, and I am truly pleased to see our cooperation with the Philippines taking concrete shape.
- This year, in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations, various events are being held under the theme of "Weaving the Future Together: Peace, Prosperity, and Possibilities." Through these efforts, I intend to further nurture the foundations of our bilateral relationship, including the promotion of people-to-people exchanges and mutual trust.
- Japan will further deepen cooperation with the Philippines across a wide range of fields, toward the realization of an updated "Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)" and the next 70 years of our partnership with the Philippines. I sincerely hope that the discussions at today’s symposium will serve as a valuable contribution toward this endeavor.