Duterte awards outgoing Japanese envoy with Order of Sikatuna
The country's strategic partnership with Japan has been further strengthened with the help of outgoing Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda, President Duterte said on Tuesday.
The President expressed appreciation for Haneda’s contribution to enhancing Philippine-Japan relations during the ambassador's farewell call Tuesday, according to Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs Robert Borje.
The ambassador was given the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Datu (Grand Cross), Gold Distinction during the meeting with the President.
"President Rodrigo Roa Duterte congratulated H.E. Haneda Koji, outgoing Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan, on a successful tour of duty in the Philippines," Borje said in a statement.
"The President thanked Ambassador Haneda for his valuable contributions in strengthening and deepening the strategic partnership and overall bilateral relations between the Philippines and Japan since he assumed post in 2017," he added.
The two countries have also enhanced cooperation in infrastructure, education, transportation, maritime security, emergency assistance, and trade and investments during Haneda's term, Borje said.
He said the President also expressed gratitude for Japan's "generous and consistent support" in the country's efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. He cited Japan’s assistance in the country’s emergency response and economic recovery efforts as well as the country's inclusion in the clinical trials of the anti-COVID-19 drug Avigan.
Borje also said Japan remains a major partner of the administration’s "Build, Build, Build" program and a key supporter of the Mindanao peace process, transition to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and the rehabilitation of Marawi City.
The two countries also enjoyed continued high-level exchanges during Haneda's term, according to Borje. President Duterte made four official visits to Japan since 2016 while former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo visited the country twice in 2017.
In the meeting with the President, Ambassador Haneda cited the gains in the stronger Philippine-Japan cooperation in the areas of infrastructure, maritime domain awareness, countryside development, and the peace process in Mindanao.
"Ambassador Haneda recognized the further strengthening of already strong ties between Japan and the Philippines during his tenure and thanked President Duterte for all the assistance as policy guidance supported through cabinet secretaries," Borje said.
The Japanese ambassador also thanked the President for the Sikatuna recognition, saying he will stay a true friend of the Philippines.
Haneda, assigned to the post in Manila in October, 2017, is expected to end his tour of duty later this month. When he returns to Tokyo, he will reportedly end his four decades in the Japanese Foreign Service.