THE Philippines has secured future expansion plans from Japanese investors to create more jobs and drive stronger economic growth, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said over the weekend.
A Philippine delegation led by Recto met with senior executives from top Japanese companies, including Sojitz, Mitsui & Co, Koshidaka Holdings Co., Ltd. and Marubeni Corporation.
Sojitz, a global trading company with a strong presence in the Philippines, expressed interest in boosting the country’s competitiveness through innovation, infrastructure support and technology transfer. The company’s Philippine investments span various sectors, from commodities trading to agriculture, telecommunications and property development.
Mitsui & Co., a global trading and investment firm, is eager to expand its business in the Philippines, particularly in renewable energy, liquefied natural gas and large-scale infrastructure like ports and transport systems. The company already has a broad footprint in the country, with investments in the automotive, BPO, ICT and power generation sectors.
Koshidaka Holdings Co., the world’s largest karaoke chain, is establishing a wholly-owned Philippine subsidiary to spearhead its expansion in Southeast Asia.
The company’s board approved the plan in February 2025. Koshidaka aims to open its first Karaoke Manekineko outlet in Metro Manila by 2026, with an ambitious long-term goal of 100 outlets nationwide.
Marubeni Corp., Japan’s largest trading company, has been an integral part of the Philippines’ development for over a century. It expressed interest in expanding existing projects, including online consumer finance, residential development and water supply. Marubeni also specifically committed to helping develop renewable energy to provide affordable power to Filipinos.
The Philippine delegation included Secretary Arsenio Balisacan of the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev); Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI); and Secretary Sharon Garin of the Department of Energy (DOE).
The meetings, arranged by the DTI field office in Tokyo, took place in Osaka, Japan. The delegation was there for the Philippines-Japan High-Level Joint Committee Meeting on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation and a Philippine Economic Briefing with top Japanese investors.
The main objective was to secure greater financing for the Philippines’ major infrastructure projects and to attract more Japanese investments.
