Philippine banana exported to Japan increased by 24 percent due to reduced tariff even as Japan absorbed 300 Filipino candidates as nurses or caregivers in the one year that the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) has been enforced, according to Japanese Ambassador to Manila, Makoto Katsura.
The JPEPA’s “wide ranging benefits” are among the Philippines-Japan bilateral projects that Katsura mentioned in his speech last week at a reception commemorating the birthday of the Japanese Emperor.
He also said that, as the country’s biggest official development assistance (ODA) donor, Tokyo will continue to assist in the Philippines’ reconstruction efforts in the aftermath of the recent typhoons.
Katsura said that he “wholeheartedly welcomed” the resumption of official peace talks on the Mindanao Peace Process and emphasized Japan’s strong expectation that the parties concerned continue sincere discussions making use of peace process frameworks and reach a final agreement for peace in Mindanao at an early date.
Japan is one of the members of the International Contact Group on the Mindanao peace process.
The ambassador also expressed strong hope that “normalcy would return as quickly as possible” in the troubled province of Maguindanao, where 57 persons were killed two weeks ago in cold blood in the aftermath of alleged political rivalry of two powerful Muslim clans. PNA
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