Japan is ready to help the Philippines achieve an upper-middle-income status, Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru said on Tuesday, April 29, through a range of cooperations that will cover telecommunications, energy, and infrastructure, among others.

President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. and Japan Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru shake hands during their bilateral meeting on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (PPA Pool/Marianne Bermudez)

President Marcos and Ishiba held a bilateral meeting at Malacañan Palace to chart the future of the two countries’ relations and tackle significant common interests, such as economic cooperation, people-to-people ties, and defense and security relationships.

“I conveyed to President Marcos that Japan will cooperate with the Philippines making use of uniquely Japanese strengths for your country to aim for the upper middle income status that His Excellency is looking for,” he said during their joint press conference after the bilateral talks.

“I explained that we will work with the Philippines in a package of cooperations covering telecommunications, AZEC (Asian Zero Emission Community), energy, mineral resources, infrastructure and disaster risk reduction, and others. The President and I agreed to further strengthen our partnership in these areas,” he added.

Ishiba, who visited the country on the invitation of President Marcos, will be in the Philippines from April 29 to 30.

Marcos and Ishiba met on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summits in Lao People’s Democratic Republic in October last year and again through a video conference with the United States in January this year.

The Prime Minister’s remarks came just as the Philippines hosted the High-Level Ministerial Conference of Middle-Income Countries at the Shangri-La Hotel in Makati City from April 28 to 29.

The ministers and high-level representatives of some 19 countries adopted the Makati Declaration on Middle-Income Countries, which will serve as a roadmap for member-states to address present challenges to their continuous growth, lack of access to funding opportunities, and impact of climate change.

Agri cooperation

Ishiba is also hopeful for further information in the field of agriculture since he served as Japan’s minister of agriculture, forestry and industries before.

The last time the Prime Minister was in the Philippines was 25 years ago when he was the agriculture minister.

“Therefore, from such a perspective, I was able to have a good exchange of views with His Excellency. So, in the agricultural arena as well, I very much hope that we can further deepen our cooperation,” he said.

Sea dispute

The two leaders discussed as well “regional and international developments,” including the disputes in the resource-rich South China Sea and the tariff war that erupted between the United States and China.

“I hope that our two nations will continue to closely communicate with each other to oppose attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas by force or coercion and to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law,” Ishiba, whose country has its own territorial issues with China over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, said.

US tariffs

The Prime Minister disclosed that he and Marcos tackled the tariff measures imposed by the United States on most countries, and noted the “impact felt on the multilateral free trade regime and the world economy because of the reciprocal retaliations seen between the United States and China.”

“Many Japanese companies have been playing a role in the local economy here in the Philippines. I conveyed to President Marcos that I will listen carefully to the voices so that we will be able to bring forth a better solution,” he added.

Next year, the two countries will celebrate the 70th year of the normalization of their diplomatic ties, which is an opportune time for both countries to further strengthen their cooperation.

“I resolve afresh to cherish the bond Japan has built with our valued neighbor. Thus, I would like to further strengthen communication as well as cooperation with President Marcos,” the Prime Minister said.