BBM, Japan PM Tackle US Tariffs, China Sea Aggression

There are "better solutions" to the dire impacts of the reciprocal tariffs imposed by the United States, visiting Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru said yesterday, as he vowed to listen more to other countries for insights.

- By ALEXIS ROMERO

At a meeting with President Marcos last night, Ishiba said Japan and the Philippines agreed to start talks on security deals that would allow them to provide vital supplies and services and exchange intelligence information as they affirmed the importance of a rules-based order in the face of China's aggressive acts in the region.

"On the status of the global economy, we discussed the tariff measures taken by the United States as well as the impact felt on the multilateral free trade regime and the world economy because of the reciprocal retaliations seen with the United States and China," the Japanese leader said.

"Many Japanese companies have been playing a role in the local economy here in the Philippines. I conveyed to President Marcos that I will listen carefully to the voices so that they will be able to bring forth better solutions," he added.

Ishiba said Japan would also cooperate with the Philippines so that it could use "Japanese strengths" to achieve its goal of attaining upper-middle income status.

"I explained that we will work with the Philippines in a package of cooperations covering telecommunications, AZEC (Asia zero emission community), energy, mineral resources, infrastructure and disaster risk reduction and others.

The President and I agreed to further strengthen our partnership in these areas," he added.

Ishiba invited Marcos to attend the Osaka Expo 2025, which started last April 13 and will run until Oct. 13.