Your Excellency Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, Your Majesty, Excellencies,

As we gather to enjoy yet another delicious meal that our gracious hosts have prepared, it provides us a chance to reflect on ASEAN and Japan’s enduring “Heart to Heart” Partnership across many generations.

Allow me to express my gratitude to the Japanese Government for its commitment

and steadfast support for numerous initiatives promoting friendship and camaraderie among the peoples of ASEAN and Japan.

We hope that Japan will be able to continue the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths or JENESYS, this program has been a key component in building lifelong bonds of friendship and mutual understanding among young people in ASEAN and Japan.

The Philippines has a long history of cultural exchanges through the JENESYS program, welcoming Japanese youth while sending our own since 2007.

The Philippines also thanks Japan for spreading sports cooperation through the “Sport for Tomorrow” program.

This program not only promotes sports awareness amongst ASEAN youth but also encourages inclusivity in sports by supporting participation by women and persons of disability.

We wish to express our gratitude for Japan’s WA Project. Aptly named “Wa” for the

Japanese concept translated as “harmony,” the project is designed to enhance

cultural understanding to facilitate cooperation among the citizens of ASEAN and among Japan.

We look forward to the implementation of the 2023-2025 ASEAN Cultural Heritage Digital Archives Project and the ASEAN Corner in Universities supported by the Japanese-ASEAN Integrated Fund (JAIF). These projects will promote public access to this digital archive, establish information centers on ASEAN topics in AMS libraries, and enhance ASEAN awareness and the realization of the narrative of ASEAN identity.

Our Heart-to-Heart partnership not only allows two-way cultural and people-to-people exchanges, it also promotes mutual understanding and cooperation between ASEAN and Japan.

The 50 years of harmonious relations between ASEAN and Japan is a testament that our friendship, trust, and shared concerns are the building blocks of peace and stability in our region.

We look forward to ASEAN’s and Japan’s continued partnership beyond the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.

We have done much in the previous 50 years, I believe the future can even be brighter.

Thank you.

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