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Japan's Kishida, Philippines' next leader Marcos vow to beef up ties

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Kyodo News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Japan" s="" Prime="" Minister="" Fumio="" Kishida="" speaks="" to="" reporters="" at="" the="" office="" in="" May="" Jiji="" Press="" Japan="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/overseas/05/20/japan-prime-minister-fumio-kishida-epa-efe.jpg"/><figcaption>Japan&#x27;s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks to reporters at the Prime Minister&#x27;s office in Tokyo, Japan, May 9, 2022. <em>Jiji Press Japan/EPA-EFE</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>TOKYO <strong>(UPDATE)</strong> — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine presumptive president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed Friday to work together to strengthen bilateral ties toward peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.</p><p>The 2 also confirmed that they will meet in person as soon as possible, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said in a press release issued after their 15-minute phone call.</p><p>Kishida said he wants to closely cooperate with Marcos toward the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, according to the ministry. </p><p>The initiative has been promoted by Japan and the United States and is widely seen as a counter to China&#x27;s growing military and economic clout in the region.</p><p>Marcos said that relationship with Tokyo is extremely important for Manila, expressing his hope to ramp up cooperation with Kishida in various fields, according to the ministry.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/18/22/chinese-leader-hails-marcos-support-for-china-ph-ties-embassy">Chinese leader calls Marcos a promoter of China-PH friendship: embassy</a></li></ul><p>In a post on social media, the Philippines&#x27; incoming President thanked the Japanese leader &quot;for his warm congratulatory message via a phone call this morning.&quot;</p><p>&quot;The partnership of Japan and the Philippines has been one of mutual benefit to our two countries and I hope not only to continue but to increase all of our engagements in every aspect of our relations,&quot; he said.</p><p>This marked the first time that Marcos had talked with Kishida after the son and namesake of the late Philippine dictator won a landslide victory in the May 9 presidential election. Marcos is assumed to take office on June 30, amid a <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/17/22/disqualification-plea-vs-marcos-reaches-supreme-court">disqualification</a> case filed against him at the Supreme Court.</p><p>Marcos is likely to continue incumbent President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s infrastructure program, foreign borrowing and friendly approach to China as a means to help the Philippine economy recover from the coronavirus pandemic, despite a territorial dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea.</p><p>Kishida also pledged to continue its ongoing economic and security support for the Philippines such as building infrastructure.</p><p>&quot;Prime Minister Kishida expressed his wish for future close coordination with President-elect Marcos for the realization of a &#x27;Free and Open Indo-Pacific,&#x27; and the two leaders concurred on future coordination to realize regional peace and prosperity,&quot; a press release from the Japan Embassy in Manila read.</p><p>&quot;The two leaders concurred on holding an in-person meeting as early as possible and deepening the discussion going forward.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/05/10/22/from-pariah-to-president-marcos-jr-returns-family-to-philippines-supremacy">From pariah to president: Marcos Jr returns family to Philippines supremacy</a></li></ul><p>Earlier this week, Marcos Jr. also received congratulatory phone calls from Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Chinese President Xi Jin Ping.</p><p>In his conversation with Xi, Marcos Jr. said that China and the Philippines &quot;must not allow what conflicts or difficulties we have now between our two countries to become historically important.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/18/22/chinese-leader-hails-marcos-support-for-china-ph-ties-embassy">Chinese leader calls Marcos a promoter of China-PH friendship: embassy</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2044013" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><div><strong>- with a report from Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News</strong></div>

Kishida and Marcos Jr. agreed Friday to work together to strengthen bilateral ties toward peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.