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DEPARTMENT
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
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on
the Occasion of the National Day Celebration of Japan
and
the Commemoration of the Birthday of His Majesty, The Emperor
29 November 2006
Your
Excellency Ambassador Ryuichiro Yamazaki,
Excellencies and Distinguished Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Colleagues in Government,
Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am honored to join you today in commemorating the auspicious occasions of Japan’s National Day and the birthday of His Majesty, The Emperor. Furthermore, we do so at a most significant time, since this year marks the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Normalization of Diplomatic Relations between the Philippines and Japan.
Let me take this moment to reiterate the best wishes of the Filipino people for the birth of Prince Hisahito. We share in your happiness over this newest member of the Imperial Family.
As we celebrate Japan’s National Day, we are reminded of the warm ties that our countries have shared through the years. Indeed, prior to even the arrival of the Spaniards, Filipinos had close contacts with Japanese traders and there were Japanese settlements in some parts of the archipelago. Japan even established a Consulate in Manila in 1888.
In recognition of our Fiftieth Anniversary, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared 2006 as the Philippines-Japan Friendship Year. We will have a year-long commemoration to mark our friendship.
In addition, our governments have intensified contacts, especially through the exchange of high-level visits.
I was privileged to meet Foreign Minister Taro Aso in Tokyo last April. In turn, he reciprocated by coming to Manila in July. On both occasions, we discussed the further strengthening of our multi-faceted bilateral relations.
We launched the Philippines-Japan Political Security Dialogue in Tokyo in July, starting a new phase of bilateral security exchanges.
JICA President Sadako Ogata visited the Philippines this year, further affirming the Japanese government’s unstinting support for our peace and economic in Mindanao.
And at the sidelines of the ASEM Summit in Helsinki last September, President Arroyo, and then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, signed the historic Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement or JPEPA. JPEPA will boost our trade and investment and deepen our partnership in development and people-to-people exchanges.
Next Month, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will officially visit the Philippines for the 12th ASEAN Summit and the 2nd East Asia Summit in Cebu. Aside from highlighting our 50 years of friendship, Prime Minister Abe’s visit also clearly manifests our shared efforts to sustain regional peace and security.
Let us continue our endeavors to build a strong partnership between our countries. While we must prudently learn the lessons of the past, we must also find our own way to attain our common aspirations for the future. As we make progress, therefore, let us ever be reminded of what the great Japanese poet, Matsuo Basho, said:
“Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise men of old. Seek what they sought.”
On this note, may I invite everyone to join me in a toast to
Mabuhay! END
/epa
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