President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has expressed optimism that Philippine-Japan relations will continue to deepen under the leadership of Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kitagawa Katsuro.

Marcos held a meeting with Kitagawa after receiving the credentials of the newly designated ambassador during a ceremony at Malacañan Palace on Thursday.

During the meeting, Marcos highlighted the longstanding ties between the two countries.

“The decades-long friendship between our two countries has reached a level never before seen in the history of our vibrant and dynamic relations,” he said.

“We hope to continue to foster this partnership for the benefit of both our countries and our peoples.”

Kitagawa assured Marcos of his commitment to further strengthening the Philippines’ and Japan’s Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

“I shall exert every possible effort to further deepen our strategic partnership through the steady progress of cooperation in a wide range of areas, such as security, economy, and people-to-people exchange,” he said.

Kitagawa has held several senior positions at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Director-General of the European Affairs Bureau and Director-General of the Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Science Department.

He also served in Japanese diplomatic missions in France and South Korea.

Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Japan normalized on July 23, 1956.

In May, the two nations elevated their bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Japan was the Philippines’ second-largest trading partner in 2025, with total trade reaching USD22.2 billion.

It also remains the country’s largest provider of Official Development Assistance (ODA), with loan and grant commitments totaling about USD13.96 billion as of December 2025.

As of June, the two countries have forged more than 300 bilateral agreements covering a wide range of areas, such as trade and investment, defense equipment and technology, infrastructure, and Mindanao development. (PNA)