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Japanese corporations committed to put in $3.4 billion in fresh investments to the Philippines during a high-level roundtable meeting in Tokyo led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on May 27
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Marcos, who is on a four-day state visit to Japan, recognized the role of major Japanese companies in Philippine economic development
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The investment pledge is also touted as a continued vote of confidence to the Philippine market
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Marcos outlined a unified government approach to development, with trade and tourism among the key drivers
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Three memoranda of understanding between Philippine and Japanese firms were also signed on May 27 for the development and upgrade of smart cities, digital connectivity, and financial technology
Japanese corporations committed to put in $3.4 billion in fresh investments to the Philippines during a high-level roundtable meeting in Tokyo led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on May 27.
Marcos, who is on a four-day state visit to Japan as the two countries mark 70 years of diplomatic relations, recognized the role of major Japanese companies as partners in economic development.
“You are no longer just investors in our economy. You are builders of it,” Marcos told the attendees composed of business and financial sector leaders.
Among the companies cited include All Nippon Airways, Toyota, Mitsubishi Corporation, Marubeni, Panasonic, and Fast Retailing.
READ: Japanese firms drive PEZA’s P154.7B investment performance
The Philippine government, in a statement, said the combined capital inflows are seen to expand domestic industrial capacity and generate thousands of high-quality, specialized jobs for Filipinos.
The financial infusion is also touted as a continued vote of confidence to the Philippine market.
Marcos outlined a unified government approach to development, with trade and tourism among the key drivers.
“The Philippines is pursuing a clear national direction: building an economy where infrastructure, industry, finance, human capital, and connectivity move together as one system of growth,” he said. “And increasingly, we recognize that trade and tourism will be among the most important engines of that growth.”
“In this sense, trade and tourism are not supporting sectors. They are core drivers of economic expansion in the Philippines moving forward. This is a philosophy our two countries understand deeply,” the President noted.
Technology and green investments
Secretary of Trade and Industry Ma. Cristina Roque, who was part of the Philippine delegations, underscored the country’s readiness to absorb high-tech manufacturing and green investments to secure regional supply chains.
“Our message is clear: the Philippines is open, ready, and highly capable of supporting the rapid expansion and resilience of Japanese global value chains. We are aggressively positioning the Philippines as your strategic hub in ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] for smart manufacturing, green metals, and renewable energy,” Roque said.
Complementing this industrial thrust, Tourism secretary Dita Angara-Mathay highlighted the opportunities in the country’s rapidly expanding travel and hospitality sectors.
“Tourism is a massive engine for infrastructure and commercial investment. By synergizing with our trade initiatives, we are opening up high-value opportunities in hospitality facilities, eco-tourism development, and aviation connectivity, ensuring that investments in Philippine tourism yield robust, long-term returns,” Angara-Mathay said.
Meanwhile, three memoranda of understanding between Philippine and Japanese firms were also signed on May 27 for the development and upgrade of smart cities, digital connectivity, and financial technology in the country.
