TUESDAY, MAY 21,2019

A golden age in
PH-Japan relations
llEw Emperor Naruhito ascended to the Chrysanthemum Throne in Tolqo on May 1
llto Oegin the Reiwa Em in Japan. The 30 years of the previous Heisei Era ended when
Emperor Akihito abdicated in bvor of his son.
Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo/ Secretary of Foreign Atrairs Teodoro Locsin Jr, and
other Philippine oficials joined Ambassador l(oji Haneda in ceremonies at the embassy in
Makati last Tuesday.
"We share the Japanese peopleb hope that the Reiwa Era heralds a time of harmony for
Japan and our region," Secrebry Locsin said. "On the bilateral front, we are confident that
the Reiwa Era will impart a stronger impetus to oql str4egic parlnership. Japan has an im-
portant place in our pantheon of real friends. Ititin the words of His Excellency, President
Rodrigo Duterte, 'a friend closer than a brotheri"
Ambassador Haneda responded that in the 30 years of the Heisei Era, the relations be-
tween Japan and the Philippines have immensely strengthened. "We are now enjoying the
golden age of our stntegic partnership," he said.
Japan has long been our closest diplomatic ally in our part of the world, along with our
continuing close ties with the United States. Japan is today the biggest source of foreign
funding for projects, with loans and granE amounting to $5.98 billion in 201& accounting
for 41 percent of our country's tobl Official Development Assistance (ODA) from other
countries of tie world.
.lapan assumed this lion's share of our ODA when it extended financing - a $50 billion
loan - fur the 2s-kilometer Metro lvlanila subway which will soon be built from Mindanao
Avenue in Quezon City to the Ninoy Aquino Intemationat Airport in Pasay qry. The subway
wlll be built with Japanese technology, dmwing from Japanb \ast experience in subway
col"]LXi"'S
granted tunding recentty for the Nodh-south commuter Raitway Extension
project the New Bohol Airport construdion and environmental protection project, and the
new Mebo Rail Transit Line 3 rehabilitation project.
Last March, Japan and the Philippines signed a memorandum of cooperation for the re-
cruifnent and protection of Filipino workers as Japan opened its doors to over 350,000
foreign workers. At least 30 percent of these workers which will come from the Philippines.
They will join some 280,000 Filipinos already working in Japan.
We laud this golden age in our relations with Japan, arising ftom our close diplomatic ties,
our alliance in world aff"irs, and Japant generous aid to our burgeoning economic projects.
And we join in hailing the start of the new Japanb Reiwa Era under new Emperor Naruhito.

F^e tt