The Philippines and Japan are forging a new path in clean energy and trade cooperation

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Fred Pascual met with Japanese Minister Saito Ken during the Indo-Pacific Ministerial on an Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), aimed at strengthening bilateral ties on clean energy, trade and investment.

Secretary Pascual highlighted the fruitful trilateral talks involving the United States, Japan, and the Philippines, highlighting plans to strengthen existing partnerships. We are focusing on advancing green initiatives, with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) expressing interest in collaborating on a waste-to-energy project to support the Philippines’ clean energy goals.

The Philippines, in turn, has demonstrated its investment potential through successful initiatives such as the Philippine Freeports and Economic Zones Roadshow in Osaka, promoting opportunities in the manufacturing, logistics, energy and agriculture sectors to Japanese investors.

Building on the outcomes of the trilateral ministerial meeting, Secretary Pascual welcomed Japan’s OPEN Ran initiative to strengthen digital capabilities, including plans for an ORAN academy in the Philippines. Japan has reaffirmed support for the Luzon Economic Corridor under the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) investment accelerator, which aims to support industries such as electronics, semiconductors and clean energy.

The discussion also focused on cooperation on critical minerals to strengthen global supply chains, with the Philippines expressing interest in joining the Critical Minerals Agreement. Additionally, both nations are pushing for the resumption of the overall review of the Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (PJEPA) to expand economic ties beyond trade in goods to include services, digital economy and sustainable development.

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