By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora
MANILA – Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on Thursday said Japan and the Philippines are set to sign a number of bilateral agreements during the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to Manila next week.
“I can’t say right now how many but we will have a couple of agreements. The discussions will be on a broad range of issues —political, economic, and cultural,” he said on the sidelines of the Maritime Security Forum in Manila.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has yet to disclose what specific agreements are up for signing.
The Filipino top diplomat highlighted the significance of this visit at a time when the two governments are working to further strengthen strategic partnership between Manila and Tokyo.
“We have very close relations with Japan in so many areas so it is a symbol of the strength and growing cooperation between our two countries,” he added.
Malacañang said Ishiba will undertake an official visit to the Philippines on April 29 to 30, and will hold a meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to discuss economic and development cooperation, political and defense engagements, and people-to-people exchanges. (with report from Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)
