PHOTOS FROM Embassy of Japan in the Philippines 在フィリピン日本国大使館
Former Japanese Prime Minister and House of Representatives member Fumio Kishida visited the Philippines on April 30 as Special Envoy of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, holding high-level talks with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin to strengthen bilateral cooperation on energy security, decarbonization, and economic resilience.
During his meeting with President Marcos, Kishida underscored the growing importance of the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, saying resilient energy supply systems are now more critical than ever for Asian economies. He said AZEC’s goal of advancing energy security, economic growth, and decarbonization simultaneously has become increasingly relevant.
Kishida also thanked President Marcos for joining the AZEC Plus online Summit on Energy Resilience held on April 15. He conveyed Prime Minister Takaichi’s commitment to deepen cooperation with the Philippines and work closely with President Marcos toward co-hosting the 4th AZEC Leaders’ Meeting in November.
He likewise handed over a letter from Prime Minister Takaichi to the Philippine leader and expressed hope that ties between the two nations would expand further this year, which marks the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Philippines.
President Marcos welcomed Kishida’s visit and expressed appreciation for Japan’s longstanding support to the Philippines. He said AZEC initiatives have gained even greater importance under current global conditions and affirmed Manila’s commitment to close collaboration with Tokyo.
Both sides also discussed concrete cooperation under the Partnership on Wide Energy and Resources Resilience (POWERR Asia), as well as the future evolution of AZEC with stronger focus on economic and energy resilience.
Kishida also met with Energy Secretary Garin, thanking the Philippines for its active role under AZEC and expressing hope for continued collaboration as co-chairs of the Ministerial Meeting in September.
Garin welcomed the visit and described AZEC as an increasingly vital platform for regional cooperation. She also signaled interest in expanding partnerships with Japanese firms and accelerating concrete projects under the framework.
Japanese companies operating in the Philippines also joined the discussions, which included exchanges on future investments and deeper private sector cooperation.