Marcoses wow the Japanese

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. probably made the most important state visit of his six-year presidency when he and First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos went to Japan, May 26-29, 2026 as guests of Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and the Japanese government led by Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, Japan’s Iron Lady.

The 70-year relationship between the Philippines and Japan was elevated to its highest level, the comprehensive strategic partnership. Or “platinum level,” as Japanese PM Takaichi Sanae put it. In plain Pilipino slang, “walang iwanan.”

With a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, cooperation expands into energy security, supply chain resilience, decarbonization, artificial intelligence and space technology.

Marcos secured $3.4-billion investment pledges. Expansion projects include semiconductors, advanced electronics, automotive manufacturing, renewable energy and shipbuilding, led by major Japanese firms Furukawa Electric, Sumitomo Electric, Minebea Mitsumi and Tsuneishi Group, with expansion plans worth P56.33 billion to generate 10,000 new jobs. GCash, with KDDI Japan, is in the expansion game too.

Bongbong Marcos is the son of the bemedalled World War II hero then Major Ferdinand Edralin Marcos Sr. As a guerilla captain, he was captured by the Japanese and tortured, he told me in an interview, one reason why he acquired lupus that eventually led to his death in 1989, at 72, a sick and lonely man in exile in Hawaii.

On May 27, 2026, the President and First Lady Liza were treated like royalty, welcomed by no less than Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at the Imperial Palace. The Emperor gave the highest decorations – Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum for Marcos, the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown for Mrs. Marcos. The state visit is only the third hosted by Naruhito since becoming emperor in 2019.

During the state dinner hosted by the Emperor, the President and the Imperial couple had a very warm and lighthearted conversation on their time at Oxford. Naruhito studied at Merton College, Oxford, from 1983 to 1985, during which the future emperor experienced the warm hospitality of Filipino students studying alongside him. The Oxford connection, noted Marcos, made for an engaging discussion.

Marcos Jr. gave the Emperor a tall glass and spoon (a halo-halo set) with which to enjoy the world renowned Philippine dessert of mixed fruits, milk and ice.

“So yung emperor ng Japan kumakain pala ng halo-halo. Hindi lang kumakain; paborito ang halo-halo. So ’yan ang intimate connection ngayon natin,” Marcos related, with a laugh, talking to journalists later. Marcos invited Their Majesties to visit Manila.

At the end of his four-day state visit, Marcos and PM Takaichi signed a 2,991-word joint communiqué. Japan and the Philippines are now close partners in defense of each other’s territory, sovereign rights, bilateral interests and in pursuit of their strategic roles for a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

With 5.9 billion people and $60-trillion GHDP, Indo-Pacific is the world’s largest and  most economically dynamic region. It spans the Indian and Pacific Oceans, from the eastern coast of Africa to the western coasts of the Americas. The US, with its allies Japan and the Philippines, is battling China for influence and geopolitical, economic, trade and security power in the Indo-Pacific. Many analysts believe the Indo-Pacific is the next real flashpoint leading to a global war, not Ukraine, not Iran, not Latin America, not Europe.

In their joint communiqué, Marcos and Takaichi pledged to “deepen cooperation on strengthening supply chain resilience, including through the development of critical minerals industry, semiconductors and electronics, renewable energy and automotive, among others, and to promote transparent, diversified, secure, sustainable, trustworthy and reliable supply chains among trusted partners.”

The President enthused: “Our cooperation will continue to deepen and broaden and will open new frontiers for the benefit of both our peoples.”

Since its establishment in 2011, the Philippines-Japan Strategic Partnership has made remarkable progress in both depth and scope. The two leaders also shared the strategic outlook that, amid the increasingly severe international security environment across a wide range of concerns, close and strengthened cooperation between the Philippines and Japan has become more important than ever before.

They shared the view that the Philippines and Japan, as like-minded maritime democracies, have entered a platinum era of relations and have become one of the closest of like-minded countries, characterized by unprecedented levels of trust, cooperation and strategic alignment. Against this backdrop and shared recognition, the two leaders decided to elevate bilateral relations to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which places the friendship at a much higher tier than before.

On security cooperation, the two leaders welcomed the entry into force of the Philippines-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) on Sept. 11, 2025, which enhanced the efficiency of cooperation and exchanges between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Self-Defense Forces of Japan (JSDF).

Marcos and Takaichi welcomed that the RAA has been applied to multiple exercises already, following its entry into force. They also welcomed the signing of the Philippines-Japan Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) on Jan. 15, 2026 and the close coordination for its entry into force at the earliest possible timing.

Further, the two leaders decided to commence negotiations on an agreement on the protection of classified military information, recognizing the importance of such a framework in further deepening bilateral security and defense cooperation, as well as promoting interoperability between the two countries and with other partners.

PM Takaichi reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to contributing to the capacity building of the AFP, especially in the maritime area. They will continue closely working together to further promote the transfer of defense equipment, including destroyers, TC-90 and radar systems, with the Agreement concerning the Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology and the Official Security Assistance (OSA) in mind.

The two leaders look forward to advancing defense industry collaboration, as this would support the development of mutually beneficial industrial capabilities, enhance supply chain resilience and contribute to interoperability and long-term defense readiness.

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