JUNE 5 (Eagle News) — President Aquino returned to the country on Friday, June 5, after his successful four-day state visit in Japan.
Aquino’s plane landed at 5:50 p.m Friday. He was welcomed by members of his cabinet.
In his arrival speech, he talked of the sucessful state visit in Japan where he not only got the support of Japanese leaders for the country’s various economic and infrastructure projects, but also strengthened the bilateral ties between the two countries cementing the “strategic partnership” in security and economy.
Japan also shared the Philippines’ serious concerns regarding China’s ongoing massive reclamation activities in the disputed West Philippine Sea.
Japanese businessmen also pledged more investments for the country.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also reiterated his government’s full support for President Aquino’s efforts in promoting peace in Mindanao.
The two leaders also agreed on a roadmap to support the fast-growing Philippine economy through the development of transport infrastructure in the metropolitan Manila area, as part of the partnership for quality infrastructure that Prime Minister Abe announced last month.
The Philippines and Japan will also start talks on allowing Japanese military aircraft and naval vessels to use bases in the Philippines for refueling and picking up supplies, enabling them to extend their patrol range deep into the South China Sea.
The agreement would be a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), which would clear the way for the Japanese military to use Philippines’ bases on a rotational basis, similar to the way the U.S. does now.
Aquino’s trip comes as the two countries deepen their security ties. Unable to match the scale of the Chinese fleet, Manila is looking for allies in its territorial spat with China. Tokyo is concerned that Chinese land reclamation projects in the South China Sea will expand Beijing’s influence in a region through which about $5 trillion of sea-borne trade passes annually, much of it heading to and from Japan.
Aquino, on the fourth and the last day of his Japan visit, also met Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at a hotel in downtown Tokyo. (with a report from Reuters)
