President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is set to leave this week for Japan to participate in the 50th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Japan Relations, according to Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary Daniel Espiritu.

“The President is leaving on the 15th for Tokyo to attend the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan Relations,” Espiritu told reporters in a briefing with the Malacañang Press Corps. on Monday.

Espiritu emphasized that President Marcos’ attendance to the ASEAN-Japan is important since Japan is one of the first dialogue partners of ASEAN and it is “one of the most dynamic (partners).”

He added that ASEAN also covers security matters such as defense and transnational crime and mutual legal assistance, mutual economic activities and cultural and people-to-people activities.

“It’s a whole gamut of relations, and they were able to sustain and develop it through the years such that this year, they were declared comprehensive strategic partner of ASEAN,” Espiritu said.

“And one of the objectives of this summit is exactly to announce the come upon of Japan as a comprehensive strategic partner of ASEAN – a thing that was already confirmed during the last summit of ASEAN in Jakarta,” he added.

Espiritu said that there might be a bilateral meeting between President Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, which will be the President’s first official engagement in Japan.

He clarified that there are no further details yet as far as the bilateral meeting between President Marcos and Prime Minister Kishida is concerned.

But he said that President Marcos will attend a dinner with the Prime Minister at the State Guest House, or the Akasaka Palace on December 16, which will be his first official ASEAN engagement.

The ASEAN proper will be on December 17 where several issues will be discussed including the West Philippine Sea. PND