Manila, April 30 (AseanAll) — Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. received former Japanese Prime Minister and now Supreme Adviser to the Parliamentary Association of the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Kishida Fumio in a courtesy call at Malacañan Palace on April 30, 2026, where they reaffirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation on energy security and accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
Kishida, who is in the Philippines from April 30 to May 2 as Special Envoy of the Prime Minister, will participate in a series of high-level engagements focused on advancing AZEC initiatives and strengthening Philippines-Japan bilateral relations.
During the meeting, Marcos welcomed Kishida’s visit and underscored the importance of sustained cooperation with Japan amid global energy uncertainty driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
“I understand that you are here to promote AZEC, a very important initiative, especially in this time. It was already very important before, but it has become especially pressing and critical with all of the events that are transpiring in the Middle East and the effects that it has had on the entire energy system of the world,” the President said.
The Chief Executive said disruptions in global energy supply highlight the urgency of accelerating the country’s shift toward cleaner and more resilient energy systems.
“We hope that we can continue our work in moving our countries away from fossil fuels and absorb more of the renewables technology that we have been trying to shift to,” Marcos said.
The President also expressed gratitude for Japan’s continued support, particularly its commitment to honor and maintain existing supply contracts for various fuels.
Marcos then conveyed optimism that tensions in the Middle East would ease soon, citing the Philippines’ vulnerability given the presence of around 2.5 million overseas Filipino workers in the said region
For his part, Kishida reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to advancing the initiative of AZEC, which he proposed in 2022 to promote regional decarbonization and energy cooperation across Southeast Asia and the broader Asian region.
He thanked President Marcos for participating in the AZEC Plus Online Summit held last April 15 and emphasized the importance of strengthening economic and energy resilience with the Philippines.
“We would like to promote cooperation with the Philippines on economic and energy resilience,” Kishida said.
He also conveyed the intention of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to work closely with President Marcos particularly on the Philippines’ hosting of the 4th AZEC Leaders’ Meeting in November.
Kishida turned over a letter from Prime Minister Takaichi to President Marcos during the courtesy call.
Kishida’s visit follows the announcement of Japan’s USD 10 billion energy cooperation framework, Partnership on Wide Energy and Resources Resilience (POWERR Asia), during the recent AZEC Plus Online Summit. The initiative seeks to help countries manage energy disruptions by supporting fuel procurement, strengthening supply chains, and expanding energy security cooperation in Asia.
Present during the courtesy call were Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, Finance Secretary Frederick Go, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin, Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina Roque, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Dave Gomez, and Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Maria Andrelita Austria.
Kishida was joined by members of Japan’s House of Representatives and House of Councilors, as well as officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and key AZEC representatives.
