Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his wife were formally welcomed at a ceremony at Tokyo’s Imperial Palace on May 27, attended by Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, Crown Prince Akishino, and Crown Princess Kiko [1]. The reception was the first state guest event at the palace since March 2025 and only the third in Japan’s Reiwa Era [1].
During the visit, Marcos held talks with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, reaffirming close diplomatic ties between the two nations [1]. A palace banquet also included Prince Hisahito’s first participation in a state guest welcoming ceremony [1].
Marcos arrived in Japan the previous day to begin a four-day state visit focused on lifting bilateral relations amid Indo-Pacific geopolitical and economic challenges [2]. He described the visit as reflecting the “deep and enduring friendship” between the Philippines and Japan and praised Tokyo as one of Manila’s most reliable partners for development and security [2].
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to host high-level meetings with Marcos covering economic cooperation, defense partnerships, regional security, and people-to-people exchanges [2]. Bilateral trade between Japan and the Philippines reached nearly $20 billion last year, with Japan as a leading partner in infrastructure investment [2].
The countries are marking 70 years of diplomatic relations in 2026. The visit also addresses rising tensions in the South China Sea and the expanding security cooperation between the US allies Japan and the Philippines [1, 2].
Marcos’s four-day visit, ending May 29, aims to deepen collaboration amid regional security issues and strengthen economic ties between the two nations [2].
