President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is heading to Japan next month for a four-day state visit that will include a summit with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the first woman to lead the Japanese government.
The Presidential Communications Office announced the visit, scheduled from May 26 to 29, will take place at the invitation of the Japanese government. First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos will accompany the President.
Among the visit’s centerpiece engagements, Marcos is expected to sit down with Takaichi for bilateral talks covering the Philippines-Japan Strengthened Strategic Partnership, with energy security, food security, and maritime concerns all on the table.
At the Imperial Palace, the President and First Lady will be formally received by the Emperor and Empress for a welcome ceremony and a state call. “They will be received by Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress at the Imperial Palace for a welcome ceremony and a State call,” the PCO statement read. Their Majesties will also hold a state banquet in honor of the visiting couple.
Marcos is also scheduled to hold separate engagements with Japanese business leaders and members of the Filipino community residing in Japan.
The visit marks the first time a Philippine head of state has undertaken a state visit to Japan since former President Benigno S. Aquino III made the trip in June 2015. The two countries are this year marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations.
