Japan PM Suga's visit to Philippines postponed over COVID-19

Malacanang expressed support over the decision of Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to postpone his scheduled visit to the Philippines this year due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in Japan.

“The Office of the President understands the decision of the Office of the Prime Minister to postpone the planned Official Visit of His Excellency Yoshihide Suga to the Philippines,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

“Defeating the COVID-19 pandemic is high on both the Philippines and Japan’s agenda and remains a key point of cooperation. The decision to postpone a planned official visit based on this ground, therefore, deserves support,” he added.

Roque assured the public that the strategic partnership and broad cooperation between the Philippines and Japan will continue and will be strengthened as both countries “jointly and individually work to address the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Prime Minister Suga was supposed to visit the Philippines this year to mark the 65th anniversary of the bilateral relations between the Philippines and Japan—a relationship which commenced after Japan paid reparations to the Filipino victims of Japanese colonizers during World War 2.

Japan is also set to host the Olympics from July 23 to August 8 this year.—LDF, GMA News