President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos are set to visit Tokyo, Japan from May 26 to 29, 2026, upon the invitation of the Japanese government.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the state visit will focus on strengthening bilateral relations between the Philippines and Japan, particularly in the areas of maritime security, defense cooperation, energy security, and investments.

Marcos is expected to hold bilateral talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to address regional and global concerns affecting both countries, including ASEAN matters, Indo-Pacific challenges, and developments in the Middle East.One major topic during the visit is energy security.The Philippine government aims to discuss ways to secure stable oil supply and diversify energy sources amid continuing tensions in the Middle East.

Japan’s proposed $10-billion POWERR Asia initiative, which seeks to help Asian countries improve energy resilience, is also expected to be tackled, although no specific funding allocation for the Philippines has been confirmed.Defense cooperation will likewise be part of the discussions.

The Philippines plans to pursue the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines through closer collaboration with Japan, including possible defense equipment transfers and the implementation of existing defense agreements.Maritime security concerns, especially issues involving the West Philippine Sea, are also expected to be raised.Aside from government meetings, Marcos is scheduled to meet Japanese business groups to attract potential investments to the Philippines.He is also expected to engage with the Filipino community in Japan, where around 340,000 Filipinos were reported living and working as of 2025.