President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday (Manila time) acknowledged the continued support of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) towards sustainable economic development in the Philippines.

“Grateful for the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s active role in promoting investments and fostering cooperation between the Philippines and Japan,” Marcos said in a Facebook post, following a meeting with JCCI chairperson Ken Kobayashi in Washington DC.

“Our government remains dedicated to creating a friendly business environment through innovative policies, welcoming partnerships with the Japanese business community,” he added.

Marcos mentioned that since JCCI’s economic mission, the Philippines started to increase its involvement with the organization in infrastructure, manufacturing and other new industries, according to a statement posted on state-run Radio Television Malacañang’s (RTVM) official Facebook page.

Kobayashi paid a courtesy call on Marcos in Manila in Oct. 2023 when he led the JCCI’s first foreign economic mission since the pandemic, citing the importance of the Philippines in Asia, and JCCI’s renewed interest in strengthening their partnership with the country.

Marcos also urged Japanese companies to continue supporting the country at an even faster pace, as he reaffirmed his administration’s efforts to enhance the ease of doing business in the Philippines to attract more foreign investments, the Presidential Communications Office said in another Facebook post.

Also present during the meeting were JCCI’s Hitoshi Takao; Filipino businessman Jaime Zobel de Ayala; Secretaries Alfredo Pascual (Trade) and Ralph Recto (Finance); Philippine Ambassadors Mylene Garcia-Albano (Japan) and Jose Manuel Romualdez (US); and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

JCCI is the largest business organization in Japan, having 1.25 million member companies ranging from big corporations to small and medium-sized enterprises, and comprising 515 local chambers across Japan. (PNA)