Marcos Seeks Stronger Japan Energy Ties And Security During May 26-29 State Visit

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the Philippine government will seek to further strengthen ties with Japan and ensure energy security during his state visit to the East Asian country from 26 to 29 May.

In a media interview attended by members of the Japanese media, Marcos said, “We are actually very grateful to Japan because Japan has been of great assistance to us in trying to find different solutions for the supply of the different kinds of fuel.”

Daily Tribune

Marcos underscored Japan’s role in energy security following the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, where regional leaders tackled measures to secure electricity and fuel supplies, including establishing an oil reserve and a common ASEAN power grid.

He said Japan offered a response mechanism providing up to $10 billion in assistance through the Partnership on Wide Energy and Resources Resilience, or POWERR Asia, launched by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in April.

Marcos added that work done within ASEAN and through bilateral cooperation during the crisis would eventually be institutionalized.

Marcos told Japanese media that he would again try to engage Japan on cooperation involving energy and fuel supply, and he framed the POWERR Asia proposal as something he wanted to understand in practical terms.

He said, “What does it mean in terms of linkages between our different countries, between the Philippines and Japan, and between all of the countries in the region?”

GMA Network

Marcos said the initiative aims to help Asian nations secure crude oil, diversify critical minerals and build sustainable zero-emission supply chains to shield economies from Middle East-related supply shocks.

He also said part of the discussions would focus on financial assistance for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, with security cooperation a major agenda item during his meeting with Takaichi.

In a separate interview, Marcos said Japan has taken a more active role on energy supply, adding, “We will again try to engage Japan and to see how it will work together with Japan.”

BusinessWorld reported that Marcos said his upcoming state visit to Japan will focus on deepening security cooperation and clarifying Tokyo’s evolving defense posture as Manila seeks stronger alliances amid rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific and economic disruptions triggered by the Middle East war.

“President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr”

GMA Network

During a roundtable discussion with Japanese media in Malacañang on Monday, Marcos said he will discuss how Manila and Tokyo can implement the Reciprocal Access Agreement and the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement.

The BusinessWorld report said Marcos will also clarify whether Tokyo will expand assistance to the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) modernization program, and it tied the visit to the recently concluded Balikatan military drills with Japan, the US, Australia, France, Canada and New Zealand.

It also quoted Chester B. Cabalza, president and founder of International Development and Security Cooperation, saying, “The more the heavier. This is more than a deterrence act in our seas off 200 nautical miles but a showing of modernized armed forces.”

BusinessWorld added that NHK reported Tokyo is considering exporting Type 88 surface-to-ship missiles to the Philippines, and Cabalza said the Philippines’ strategic location in the “first island chain” places it in the middle of an intensifying arms race.