TOKYO -- The Japanese government decided Friday to honor Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his wife, First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, during their four-day state visit to Japan beginning Tuesday.

The president will receive the Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum. The first lady will be honored with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference Friday that the aim of the decoration is to further promote friendly relations between Japan and the Philippines.

The Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum is Japan’s highest and most prestigious decoration. Established in 1876 by Emperor Meiji, it is awarded for exceptionally meritorious achievements. It is primarily bestowed upon members of the Imperial Family, foreign royalty, and heads of state.

The Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown is a prestigious Japanese honor established in 1888 by Emperor Meiji. Originally a women-only equivalent to the Order of the Rising Sun, it is now primarily conferred on female members of the Imperial Family and distinguished foreign women.

The state visit, scheduled on May 26 to 29, 2026, is upon the invitation of the Japanese Government.

During the State Visit, the President and First Lady are set to be received by Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan at the Imperial Palace for a welcome ceremony, state call, and state banquet.

The President will hold a summit meeting with Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, where the two leaders are expected to discuss the future trajectory of the Philippines-Japan Strengthened Strategic Partnership and continue their recent discussions on current international developments, especially with regard to energy and food security, and maritime security.

The President is scheduled to meet with Japanese business groups and the members of the Filipino community, as part of his official engagements during the State Visit.

The last State Visit to Japan by a Philippine President was undertaken by former President Benigno S. Aquino III in June 2015, while Their Majesties the Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko last undertook a State Visit to the Philippines in January 2016.

The Philippines and Japan are commemorating the 70th anniversary of the normalization of their diplomatic relations this year.

Strengthening cooperation, ensuring energy security

Marcos said the Philippines will seek to further strengthen cooperation with Japan in ensuring energy security, noting Tokyo’s increasingly active role in addressing energy supply concerns.

“We will again try to engage Japan and to see how it will work together with Japan, as Japan has now taken a more active role when it comes to the subject of energy and the energy supply,” he said in a recent interview in Malacañang with the Japanese media.

“We are actually very grateful to Japan because Japan has been of great assistance to us in trying to find different solutions for the supply of the different kinds of fuel. And that has become a critical part of our policy,” the President added.

Marcos particularly mentioned Japan’s role in energy security after the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, which tackled measures to secure the region’s electricity and fuel supplies, including establishing an oil reserve and a common grid for ASEAN member countries.

Japan, President Marcos said, has offered a response mechanism to provide up to US$10 billion in assistance through the Partnership on Wide Energy and Resources Resilience (POWERR Asia), which was launched by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi last April.

It aims to help Asian nations secure crude oil, diversify critical minerals, and build sustainable, zero-emission supply chains to protect economies from Middle East-related supply shocks.

“And we will again try to get more clarity on what the POWERR Asia system that has been proposed by Prime Minister Takaichi. What does it mean in terms of linkages between our different countries, between the Philippines and Japan, and between all of the countries in the region?” said President Marcos.

“So, it is extensively used for supply procurement, for supply chain maintenance, and for crude oil stockpiling capacity augmentation in Asia,” the President added.

The Philippines, ASEAN, and Japan, the President emphasized, can also work together to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy to shield themselves against shocks stemming from geopolitical tensions. (With the Presidential News Desk)