TOKYO: Japan’s Emperor Naruhito hailed the enduring ties between Japan and the Philippines and expressed hope the relationship can grow stronger in a speech Wednesday at a state banquet for Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his wife Louise Araneta-Marcos, Kyodo News reported.
The four-day state visit by Marcos through Friday coincides with the 70th anniversary of the normalisation of diplomatic relations. It comes as Japan seeks to deepen ties with the Philippines amid an increasingly complicated regional security environment.
At the banquet at the Imperial Palace, the emperor alluded to Japan’s occupation of the Philippines in World War II to reflect that the countries’ “shared history in the aftermath of the War was not without its complications.”
He noted the steady improvement in ties since normalisation, saying, “I am mindful that our bilateral relationship today is underpinned by the tireless and dedicated efforts of many individuals, and it is my heartfelt wish that our mutual relationship of trust will continue to grow ever stronger.”
The banquet hosted by the imperial couple was attended by around 90 people and marked the first time for Prince Hisahito, the 19-year-old son of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko, to attend such an event following his coming-of-age ceremony last year.
The emperor also expressed his “profound gratitude” for the donations and aid provided by the Philippines, which he described as Japan’s close neighbour connected by sea, during the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake that devastated the country’s northeast and the 2024 quake that struck the Noto Peninsula.
He extended his condolences for the lives lost in an earthquake and typhoon that struck the Philippine island of Cebu last year.
Marcos thanked the imperial couple for their hospitality, proposing a toast to the two countries’ “enduring friendship,” which he hopes will “flourish for future generations.”
Prince Hisahito, who is second in line to the throne, was seen holding a soft drink for the toast.
Earlier in the day, a welcome ceremony for the president and his wife was held at the palace’s East Gardens, with the crown prince and crown princess as well as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also in attendance.
In the ceremony, the two countries’ national anthems were played, and Marcos received an honour guard salute from the Self-Defence Forces ceremonial unit.
The emperor and empress then met with the presidential couple for around 20 minutes in the palace’s Take no Ma stateroom.
According to the Imperial Household Agency, Marcos noted that bilateral relations had developed remarkably across many fields, with many Filipinos working in Japan as nurses and in other professions.
The emperor responded by expressing his gratitude for their significant contribution to Japan, the agency said.
Before the visit by Marcos, the most recent state guests to Japan had been Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife in March 2025.
— BERNAMA-KYODO
