Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday congratulated presumptive president Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on his victory in the 2022 elections during a phone call, where the former expressed hopes that the cooperation between the two countries on the economic front will continue.
The Japanese Embassy in the Philippines said Kishida phoned Marcos Jr. around 10:30 a.m. to tell the latter that he wanted to take the bilateral Strategic Partnership "to yet another height."
Kishida also wanted to maintain the two countries' cooperation on the economic front, such as infrastructure development, including railways and Subic Bay development, the embassy said.
Also wished to be continued is the security and coast guard law enforcement fields, through the High Level Joint Committee on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation and the Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting.
Marcos Jr., according to the Japanese embassy, assured the latter that the relations between the two countries "are of utmost importance."
He also "communicated his intention to deepen cooperation with Prime Minister Kishida in a wide range of areas," it added. "The two leaders concurred on coordinating bilaterally toward further strengthening the Japan–Philippines relations."
As Marcos Jr. and Kishida exchanged views on regional affairs, the Japanese embassy said its leader wished for a close coordination in the future "for the realization of a 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific," which "the two concurred."
The two also agreed to meet in person and as early as possible to deepen their discussion, it added.