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Prime Minister Visits the Philippines
Click photographs to enlarge
This year marks the 50th anniversary of normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Republic of the Philippines. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe departed for the Philippines on the government plane on the night of December 8, and arrived at the capital Manila at the midnight the same day. On the morning of December 9, Prime Minister Abe laid a wreath at the Rizal Monument, after which he was received in a welcome ceremony and held a meeting with Ms. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the President of the Philippines. The meeting focused on topics such as policy dialogues, economic cooperation, peace in Mindanao and the North Korea issues. Prime Minister Abe offered his sympathy to the victims of a typhoon disaster in the southern part of Luzon Island and expressed a commitment to providing further emergency grant aid in addition to the emergency assistance in kind that has already been implemented. He also noted that the summit meeting marked the finale of the year commemorating the 50th anniversary of normalization of the two countries' diplomatic relations. He said it was gratifying that on this occasion both countries were able to release a joint statement calling for the comprehensive promotion of mutual exchanges and cooperation in various fields as they looked ahead to the next half a century. Concerning the North Korea issues, Prime Minister Abe said it was important to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718 in order to urge North Korea to take a positive response toward the abandonment of all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs. On the abduction issue, Prime Minister Abe asked for the understanding and support of the Philippines, noting that this issue posed a grave problem that affected the lives of the Japanese people and that he wished to resolve it swiftly through international coordination. President Arroyo responded that she supported Japan's stance on the North Korea issues and that the abduction issue was a clear violation of human rights. The two leaders then signed their joint statement and attended the signing of the Protocol amending the Convention between Japan and the Republic of the Philippines for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income (Double Taxation Avoidance Convention). The two leaders then attended a ceremony introducing individuals who have contributed to promoting peace in Mindanao as well as the train delivery ceremony for a railway project. In the afternoon, Prime Minister Abe received a series of courtesy calls from the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and others. Prime Minister Abe thereafter visited the Nihongo Center Foundation together with Mrs. Akie Abe. In the evening, Prime Minister Abe was invited to a dinner hosted by the President and First Gentleman Atty. Jose Miguel Arroyo. At a press conference held afterwards, Prime Minister Abe said, "In East Asia, economic growth and democratization are progressing vigorously in a mutually complementary manner. My hope is to achieve both long-term stability and prosperity on the basis of sharing universal values with friends in the region. My stay has been very short, but I am deeply satisfied with the results of the visit this time." On the morning of December 10, Prime Minister Abe left Manila for Japan.
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