JAPAN’S newly appointed Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya has expressed his commitment to bolstering bilateral relations with the Philippines.
This was disclosed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo who had a telephone conversation with Iwaya.
Manalo congratulated Iwaya and underscored the robust relationship between the two countries, particularly in multilateral cooperation, including Japan-U.S.-Philippines efforts to uphold a free and open international order based on the rule of law.
The two officials agreed to enhance collaboration across various sectors ahead of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic bilateral relations and discussed regional concerns, including developments in the East and South China Sea.
Iwaya, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party who was first elected to Japan’s House of Representatives in February 1990.
He also served as the Minister of Defense from Oct. 2, 2018 to Sept. 11, 2019, and was designated Minister of Foreign Affairs last month.
