Sara Duterte arrives in Japan, discusses Philippines-Japan relations with PM Kishida

Vice President Sara Duterte arrived in Japan on Monday and met with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who committed to further strengthen the Japan and Philippines relations under the Marcos administration.

In a statement Tuesday, the Japan Embassy in the Philippines said Duterte paid a courtesy call on Kishida on Monday afternoon wherein she was acknowledged as the first cabinet-level dignitary of the Marcos administration to visit Japan.

During the meeting, Kishida relayed Japan's plan to facilitate the improvement of agricultural and fisheries value chains and the collection of small arms and light weapons in Mindanao, as well as render educational support for junior government officers of the Philippines to study in Japan.

The Prime Minister also said he would like to work together based on the Philippines' needs toward the establishment of an autonomous government in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in 2025.

For her part, Duterte expressed her appreciation for Japan's contribution to the Philippines’ infrastructure development and the Mindanao peace process, among others.

She earlier met with Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa in her office in Mandaluyong City, wherein she said that Japan was a top contributor to the previous administration’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.

Duterte and Kishida also exchanged views on the situation in the East and South China Seas and economic coercion, and affirmed to work closely on these issues, the Embassy added.

It could be recalled that Kishida also met President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week, and said he wants to strengthen cooperation in priority areas for the Filipino leader, such as agriculture, energy, health and infrastructure.

Duterte went to Japan to attend the state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe set on Tuesday, September 27.

Abe was assassinated during a campaign event on July 8. His funeral will be held at Tokyo's Nippon Budokan.

The Embassy said Kishida thanked Duterte for attending the funeral and acknowledged that both houses of the Congress of the Philippines adopted resolutions expressing sympathy on Abe's passing.

The Vice President earlier said she would bring with her in Japan two condolences letters—one from Marcos, and another from her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.—AOL, GMA News