Philippine and Japanese delegations are scheduled to meet this week to discuss infrastructure projects in the Philippines that will be carried out with funding from the Japanese government.
According to local newspaper Manila Bulletin, the two sides will meet on Friday, with Filipino planning secretary Ernesto M. Pernia and finance secretary Carlos G. Dominguez on the chair seats.
Hiroto Izumi will lead the delegation from the Japanese side for the ninth Philippines-Japan Joint Committee on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation that will be held in Hakone, eastern Japan.
The meeting is part of efforts in Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's "Build, Build, Build" infrastructure initiative that aims to improve the local economy through better environments and business districts.
Dominguez said the joint efforts ever since Duterte took office are part of the two countries' "fast and sure" approach towards improving the Philippines' infrastructure programs and these initiatives involved 10 loan agreements.
The said projects involve but are not limited to the New Bohol Airport Construction and Sustainable Environment Protection Project (II), the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project for the Philippine Coast Guard (Phase II), and the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 Rehabilitation Project.
Analysts noted that bilateral and diplomatic ties between the two countries have been building up significantly over the past years, with Japan being the Philippines' second-biggest trading partner as of December 2018.
The previous Joint Committee talks held between the two parties were at the Marriot Hotel in Clark, Pampanga, and this week's summit is expected to open further doors for more cooperation in Philippine infrastructure.
Meanwhile, another display of good relations between the Filipino and Japanese sides is the cooperation in sports, as was exemplified during at the 30th Southeast Asian Games that opened in grand spectacle earlier this week.
Experts pointed out that skills-sharing between the two sides has been on the rise, with positive accounts for the National Ice Hockey Team of the Philippines and the Japanese Ice Hockey Federation.
Soccer is another sport wherein the nations are forging strong relations. Several Japanese soccer professionals are sharing their knowledge and experiences with Filipino soccer players.
Tourism is also a key point of exchange between the partnering countries. Last year, over 631,000 tourists from Japan came into the Philippines, marking a significant 8.15 percent hike from the previous year.
It remains to be seen how this week's meeting will further boost the growing Philippines-Japan trade. Still, economists are expecting good results after the meeting, especially with Duterte pushing for better infrastructure to enhance trade and economic progress.
