Marcos to visit Japan, meet Emperor, Prime Minister Takaichi

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will be undertaking a state visit to Japan from May 26 to 29, Malacañang announced on Friday, April 24. 

In a statement, Malacañang said Marcos will be received by the Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako for a welcome ceremony, state call, and state banquet.

He is also set to meet with Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae to “discuss the future trajectory of the Philippines-Japan Strengthened Strategic Partnership and continue their recent discussions on current international developments, especially with regard to energy and food security, and maritime security.” 

The end-May visit by Marcos will be the first state visit of a Philippine president to Japan since June 2015 by the late former president Benigno Aquino III. The last state visit of Japan’s emperor to the Philippines, by  Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko, was in January 2016, Malacañang said. 

The state visit coincides with the 70th anniversary of the normalization of Tokyo and Manila’s diplomatic ties. Marcos will be joined by First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos in the three-day state visit. The Philippine president will also meet with Japanese businessmen and the Filipino community in separate events. 

Marcos has visited Japan several times as chief executive — in 2023 for an official working visit and then in 2025 to see for himself the Philippine Pavillion at the World Expo in Osaka. He has also met with Takaichi at least once, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Malaysia back in October 2025.

Marcos’ scheduled visit will be a new milestone in the growing closeness between the Philippines and Japan politically and strategically. The two Asian countries are strategic partners and have recently upped their military ties with the signing and ratification of a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA).

Thousands of combat troops are in the Philippines from late April to early May 2026 to participate in the yearly Philippine-United States military exercise Balikatan. It is the first deployment of Japan Self-Defense Forces to Philippine soil since World War II. 

Japan is among the top sources of Official Development Assistance of the Philippines. Manila was also the first recipient of Japan’s Official Security Assistance. – Rappler.com