Japanese ‘fascinated’ by Duterte admin: envoy

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pose for a photo prior to their bilateral meeting at the Suntec Convention and Exhibition Centre in Singapore on November 15, 2018. KARL NORMAN ALONZO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — The Philippine government under President Rodrigo Duterte is a “fascinating” one for the Japanese, an envoy said on Tuesday.

Philippine Ambassador to Japan Jose Laurel V said the Japanese people, and not just their Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who invited Duterte to their country to attend a conference, found him “interesting.

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Duterte was invited by Abe to attend the 25th Nikkei Conference on the Future of Asia in Tokyo — his third trip to Japan since he assumed office in 2016.

“It’s the Japanese that are in themselves fascinated by this government,” Laurel said in a press conference at the Philippine Embassy in Japan.

Laurel explained that the Japanese are particularly fascinated with Duterte because of his “quality leadership that leads the nation.”

“The Japanese are always fascinated with leadership that is recognized, affirmed by their own people at the same time a tremendous political will insofar as his programs are concerned,” he added.

Laurel said Duterte could have been admired by the Japanese for being able to “move the economy with trickled down effects.”

Despite being described as “controversial” by foreign news reports, Laurel said he believed the Japanese found him “interesting.”

“He is not controversial but interesting. Ibang klase (He’s unique) for the Japanese,” Laurel said.

Laurel said about 200 people, including Cabinet officials, local government officials and their staff, will be accompanying the President in his trip to Japan but clarified that this should not be considered a junket.

“Wala (No junket). Lahat naman eh imbitado kasi ‘yan ang imbitasyon ng Nikkei.

(All of them were invited because that’s the invitation of Nikkei),” Laurel said.

Duterte is scheduled to attend the second day of the Japan conference set on May 31.

He will also be meeting the Filipino community there.

The Nikkei Conference on the Future of Asia is an annual meeting that gathers government and business leaders to share their respective assessment of Asia’s prospects and their ideas as to the direction Asia should chart for itself.