Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu will undertake an official visit to the Philippines from January 8-9 as a guest of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Motegi will have a bilateral meeting with his Filipino counterpart, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. on January 9 to discuss the advancement of the Philippine-Japan Strategic Partnership in terms of political dialogues, economic and infrastructure cooperation, defense and maritime security, and Japan’s support for Mindanao and the transition to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The foreign ministers will also exchange views on developments in the regional security landscape.

While in Manila, Motegi is also scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Rodrigo Duterte, the DFA said in a statement.

This will be Motegi’s first visit to the Philippines after being appointed to the post on September 11 2019.

The Philippines is part of the foreign minister’s four-country Southeast Asian swing that also includes stops in Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia.

"The visit constitutes a further affirmation of the strengthened strategic partnership between the Philippines and Japan, under which both countries continue to elevate and deepen their decades-long economic cooperation, together with their engagement on strategic security issues," the DFA said. DMS