The Visit to Japan of President of the Republic of the Philippines Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
(Outline and Evaluation)

1. President of the Republic of the Philippines Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited Japan between 12 (Wednesday) and 15 September (Saturday). President Arroyo was accompanied on the visit by her husband Mr. Jose Miguel Arroyo and Cabinet Ministers including Secretary of Finance Jose Camacho, Secretary of Trade and Industry Manuel Roxas II and Secretary of Labor & Employment Patricia Santo Thomas.

2. During the visit to Japan, on 13 September, President Arroyo and her husband paid a State call on Their Majesties The Emperor and Empress of Japan and President Arroyo held a summit meeting with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, the first such summit meeting between the two leaders. President Arroyo coped energetically with her schedule, during which she gave lectures to the private sector-hosted 23rd Joint Meeting of the Japan-Philippines Economic Cooperation Committee and Global Business Dialogue on Electronic Commerce, again on 13 September.

3. At the summit meeting, a lively exchange of views was held on issues such as bilateral relations, terrorism and regional security, and the two leaders agreed on the future need for both countries, with a high level of partnership, to build a close cooperative relationship at the regional and global level, transcending the bilateral sphere. A "Joint Press Statement between Japan and the Republic of the Philippines" was issued following the summit. (Please refer to the separate documentation for an outline of the summit meeting).

4. Although President Arroyo's visit to Japan was her first since her inauguration in January this year, the mutual affirmation through forums such as the Japan-Philippines summit meeting and informal meetings with private-sector economic organizations that the two countries would work together to sustain and further develop the good relations between them represents a significant outcome in terms of increasing the strength of the friendly and cooperative relationship between Japan and the Philippines in the future.

[Reference]

(1) Japan-Philippines Economic Cooperation Committee

A private sector forum set up with the objective of fostering mutual understanding and friendly relations between the two countries in the economic sphere, as well as bilateral trade, investment and tourism. Since the convening of the First Joint Conference in January 1974, Japan and the Philippines have taken turns to host the annual meeting, which takes place annually, in principle. The Prime Minister of Japan delivers a complimentary address each year that the Conference is held. This year's meeting in Tokyo marked the 23rd meeting of the committee.

(2) Global Business Dialogue on Electronic Commerce (GBDe)

A conference formally inaugurated in January 1999 for debate at the private-sector level of issues relating to electronic commerce. The results of the debate are submitted to the respective governments and international organizations in the form of recommendations. The GBDe is run on the basis of a tri-polar arrangement consisting of the Americas, Europe / Africa and Asia / Oceania. This year's third annual meeting was held in Tokyo.

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