President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. departed for Tokyo on Tuesday afternoon for a four-day state visit aimed at strengthening defense cooperation and securing energy resilience amid volatile global fuel prices.
The trip, which runs from May 26 to 29, marks Marcos’ 42nd official overseas travel and his fourth visit to Japan since taking office in 2022. The presidential plane left Villamor Airbase in Pasay City past 1:30 p.m. following an official invitation from the Japanese government.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), President Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi are slated to hold bilateral talks covering regional security, maritime defense, economic cooperation, and decarbonization.
Multiple agreements across key sectors are expected to be signed during the high-level meeting.
The discussions come at a critical time as nations navigate severe oil price shocks triggered by ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. The two leaders are expected to tackle the full implementation of the 2024 Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) and the Partnership on Wide Energy and Resources Resilience Asia (POWERR Asia).
They will also deliberate on the reciprocal exchange of supplies and services between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Japan Self-Defense Forces.
Coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Japan, the state visit will also feature meetings with prominent Japanese business groups to court further investments.
Upon his arrival in Tokyo, Marcos is scheduled to engage with the Filipino community.
As of 2025, Japan is home to approximately 340,000 Filipinos, evenly split between permanent migrants and professionals working in healthcare, education, and engineering.