By Prince Golez
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. began his five-day official visit to Japan Wednesday with a dinner meeting with the executives from Mitsui & Co. and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), according to Malacañang.
Marcos Jr. is currently in Tokyo at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
“Discussions center on strengthening collaboration between the Government of the Philippines and Japanese companies in terms of trade and investment,” state-run Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM) said in a Facebook post.
According to the RTVM, the President mentioned various ways to revitalize these partnerships, which will serve as a driving force in the Philippine economy’s growth.
Mitsui & Co., a Japanese company that primarily engages in product sales, logistics and financing, infrastructure projects, iron and steel products, information technology and communication, among other businesses, currently operates in 128 offices in 63 countries including the Philippines.
The MPIC, meanwhile, is a Philippine-based investment management and infrastructure holding company mostly involved in strategic partnerships through improving operational efficiency, increasing customer coverage, and working closely with regulators and other partners in government.
Joining Marcos Jr. were First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Mitsui & Co. Chief Executive Officer Kenichi Hori, MPIC Chairman Manuel Pangilinan and other Cabinet members.
