''Luffy'' issue will not affect Marcos visit to Japan: DFA
By Robina Asido
The issue about ''Luffy'', the alleged mastermind in the spate of robbery incidents in Japan who is among the four suspects detained in the Bureau of Immigration, will not affect the visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. next week, a Department of Foreign Affairs official said on Wednesday.
"This matter is being handled by the Department of Justice (DOJ) if there is decision to deport the concern Japanese nationals the Philippine will follow the timeline of the deportation proceedings in accordance with the Philippine laws and we feel that it is totally unrelated to the visit of the president," Assistant Foreign Affairs Secretary Neal Imperial of the Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs said in a Palace briefing for the official working visit of Marcos to Japan from February 8 to 12.
"This is a consular matter being handled by the DOJ and the Japanese Embassy here and our embassy in Japan with the Ministry of Justice in Tokyo, so we don't think it will affect in any way the visit of the president and we do not expect it to be raised during his meeting with his counterpart," he added.
Although there are former Filipino comfort women who are still asking for justice and compensation to the Japanese government, Imperial noted that this may also not be raised during the state visit.
"We don't expect this to be raised but the position of the Philippines on this issue is that compensation claims by former comfort women is considered to be already settled as far as the government is concerned. All war related claims are deemed to have been settled by our 1956 reparations agreement with Japan," he said.
"However, the government will not prevent private claims should such actions be pursued by victims on their behalf so we will not stop the victims because this is an atrocious violence against women during the war but as far as the government is concerned we already signed the reparation agreement with Japan in 1956," he added.
Imperial said the "official activities of the president will begin on February 9 with several important meetings" including his bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio followed by a working dinner hosted by the prime minister where "both leaders will discuss a broad range of bilateral and regional issues to further strengthened the two countries cooperation in the second decade of their strategic partnership."
"The round table and business meetings, business calls on the president and business seminar will be held on February 9 and 10," he said.
"The president and the first lady will also be given an imperial audience with the Majesty's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at an unspecified date and time," he added.
Imperial said "the official working visit is expected to reaffirm the strong and vibrant relations between the two countries."
"It also seeks to maximize the full potential of the Philippines-Japan strategic partnership in all its aspects and facilitate closer defense security, political economic and people to people ties," he said.
Imperial said there are "seven key bilateral agreements" that are expected to be signed during the visit to Tokyo.
He said the agreements cover "cooperation in infrastructure developments, defense agriculture and information and communications technology," he noted that these are the "areas that are in the president's priority agenda".
One of the deals that is expected to be signed is the "umbrella terms of reference on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief or HADR cooperation" which will be signed by the Department of National Defense and the ministry of Defense of Japan.
"Japan has been a very important partner in providing assistance in relation to disaster relief and we certainly welcome this agreement once it is signed," he said.
During the visit, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo will be signing an exchange of notes with regards to loan agreements on "the North-South Commuter Railway (infrastructure project) from Malolos to Tutuban and the North- South Commuter Railway Extension from Malolos, Bulacan to Clark International Airport and Tutuban (in Manila) to Calamba, Laguna."
"This will involve around three billion dollars worth of loans that will be later signed also by the Department of Finance," he said.
Imperial said agreements in information and communications technology and agricultural cooperation are also expected to be signed next week.
"There is a proposed agreement on cooperation in the field of information and communications technology which will be signed by the secretary of foreign affairs on behalf of the (Department of Information and Communication Technology) DICT because Secretary (Ivan) Uy will not be able to join the delegation," he said.
"Finally there will be a memorandum of cooperation between the DA and the ministry of agriculture forestry and fisheries on the agricultural cooperation as you know the president heads the DA but his senior undersecretary will sign this agreement with his Japanese counterpart," he added.
Imperial noted that under the Philippine Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (PJEPA), the Philippines has already exported a lot of agricultural products to Japan.
"Hopefully this visit will result in more exports to, of more of agricultural products to Japan, especially our bananas and husked avocado which we hope will gain better access in the Japanese market" he said.
In his commitment to enhance the global competitiveness of Filipino seafarers, Imperial said the president will also be meeting with CEO's of Japanese shipping companies and associations to advance partnerships with Philippine stakeholders in maritime education and welfare programs for the seafarers.
Before returning to the Philippines, Imperial said the president will be meeting more than a thousand members of the Filipino community in Tokyo on Sunday morning.
The president and his delegation will depart from Manila on Wednesday afternoon and are expected to return to the country after his official state visit on Sunday evening.
Aside from his first lady, Marcos will also be accompanied by former President Gloria Arroyo, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Foreign Affairs Sec. Enrique Manalo, Finance Sec. Benjamin Diokno, Trade and Industry Sec. Alfredo Pascual, Energy Sec. Raphael Lotilla, Tourism Sec. Christina Frasco, Special Assistant to the president Antonio Lagdameo Jr., Sec. Cheloy Garafil and other cabinet officials and undersecretaries who will be part of the official delegation. DMS
