MANILA — Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano will meet with Japan Foreign Minister Taro Kano during the Philippine delegation’s visit to Tokyo, Japan to discuss preparations for the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in November.
“SFA (Secretary of Foreign Affairs) is scheduled to meet with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kano. He is, of course, accompanying President Rodrigo Duterte on all of his meetings,” DFA Acting Spokesperson Robespierre Bolivar said in a text message.
Bolivar said the meeting will be focused on the ASEAN Summit preparations, “in particular the agenda and outcome documents of the ASEAN-Japan Summit and East Asia Summit.”
Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to visit Manila in November to attend the summit.
Details of the outcome documents, however, have yet to be disclosed.
In August, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said the government is finalizing the documents necessary for the contract signing of the PHP227-billion Mega Manila Subway.
“Designing of that will be in November when Prime Minister Abe will come for the ASEAN Summit,” he was earlier quoted as saying.
While not certain about the status of the project, Bolivar said “it will likely be discussed while the president is in Tokyo.”
During the delegation’s official visit to Tokyo, which will run from October 30 to 31, Pres. Duterte will meet with Abe and other high-ranking government officials, as well as witness the signing of letters of intent (LOI) between Philippine officials and Japanese businessmen.
In his departure statement in Davao City, Pres. Duterte disclosed he will discuss with Abe ways to advance the Philippines-Japan strategic bilateral partnership, especially on matters involving socioeconomic development, peace and progress in Mindanao, and the build-up of modern infrastructures in the country.
Aside from Abe, the President is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Emperor Akihito.
He is also set to receive several Japanese top officials in separate courtesy calls including Foreign Minister Kano, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President Shinichi Kitaoka and former Foreign Minister Honorable Fumio Kishida, who is also the Chair of LDP Policy Research.