Japan-Philippines Relations
16th Meeting of the Japan–Philippines High Level Joint Committee on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation and visit to the Osaka-Kansai Expo by Economic Cabinet Ministers of the Republic of the Philippines
On the afternoon of September 11, 2025, the 16th meeting of the Japan–Philippines High Level Joint Committee on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation was held in Osaka. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Mori Masafumi, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister, on the Japanese side; and by Hon. Ralph Recto, Secretary of Finance and Hon. Alsenio Balisacan, Secretary of Economy, Planning and Development on the Philippine side. The overview of the meeting is as follows:
- At the outset, both sides welcomed the progress in economic cooperation between Japan and the Philippines, including concrete outcomes achieved in a wide range of fields such as infrastructure development, disaster risk management, information and communications, agriculture, and energy during the Japan-Philippines Summit Meeting in April this year. Special Advisor Mori then stated that, looking ahead to the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations next year, he wished to steadily follow up on specific projects in infrastructure development and disaster risk management through this Joint Committee and deepen discussions on cooperation measures, including the mobilization of private funds.
- Both sides confirmed that support for the Philippines' socio-economic development, leveraging Japan's strengths, is steadily progressing in areas such as disaster prevention, infrastructure development including railways and roads, and the Mindanao peace process. They agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the fields of operation and maintenance of railways and roads, information and communications, and energy transition, with an eye toward the Philippines' entry into the upper middle-income country status.
- Both sides confirmed that they will continue to advance cooperation in the economic field between Japan and the Philippines by ensuring close communication between the relevant ministries and agencies of both countries and steadily advancing specific cooperative projects to promote the Philippines' socio-economic development.
- Prior to this Joint Committee meeting, Special Advisor Mori visited the Osaka-Kansai Expo with Philippine cabinet ministers responsible for economic affairs, including Secretary Recto of Finance and Secretary Balisacan of Economic Planning and Development.
(Reference) Japan-Philippines High Level Joint Committee on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation
On his visit to the Philippines in January 2017, then Prime Minister Abe Shinzo announced Japan’s commitment to ODA and private-sector investment, and to establish a High-Level Joint Committee on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation in order to monitor the implementation of cooperation projects in public-private partnership.