Duterte arrives in Japan for 4-day visit

President Rodrigo Duterte safely arrived in Tokyo for his third official visit in Japan on Tuesday night.

Duterte's plane touched down at Haneda International Airport at 8:52 p.m. (local time).

He was accompanied by 16 Cabinet members and some 200 delegation.

Philippine Ambassador to Tokyo Jose Laurel V earlier said that this could be a "reward" for Duterte's Cabinet officials after the favorable results of the midterm elections to the administration. Laurel, however, clarified that the trip was "not a junket."

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said each Cabinet official in the delegation has trade missions to accomplish.

The President is set to spend time with Japanese businessmen on Wednesday and the Filipino community there on Thursday.

Duterte is scheduled to hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and will speak at the 25th International Conference on The Future of Asia on Friday.

Around P300 billion worth of business deals that would generate at least 80,000 jobs for Filipinos are expected to be inked at the sidelines of the President's official visit, according to Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.

Duterte will stay in Japan until June 1, 2019. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra was designated as the Officer-in-Charge of the executive department while the President is out of the country.

This previous two visits of Duterte in Japan were in October 2016 and October 2017. —Dona Magsino/LDF, GMA News