Ipinahayag ni Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida na naniniwala siyang nasa “golden age” na ang relasyon ng Japan at Pilipinas.

Sinabi ito ni Kishida sa gitna ng isang toast kasama si Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. sa isang piging na pinangunahan ng huli at ni First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos sa Malacañang nitong Biyernes ng gabi, Nobyembre 3.

“Japan and the Philippines are now experiencing an excellent relationship – we call it the golden age. I look forward to working with President Marcos to take these bilateral relations to even new heights,” ani Kishida.

“I hope my visit will be an opportunity to deepen the relationship of trust with President Marcos and also give further boost to the future of cooperation,” dagdag pa niya.

Sinabi rin ng prime minister na natutuwa raw siyang makabalik ng Pilipinas makalipas ang pitong taon.

“I want to wholeheartedly thank President Marcos as well as madame First Lady and all the Filipino people for wholeheartedly welcoming me and my wife to the Philippines. It is a great pleasure for me to once again come to the Philippines after seven years,” aniya.

Ayon pa sa prime minister, ang pakikipagpulong niya kay Marcos ay hindi lamang sumasaklaw sa bilateral relations ng Japan at Pilipinas, kundi pati na rin umano sa regional at global affairs.

Nagtungo si Kishida sa Pilipinas para sa isang two-day official visit mula nitong Biyernes hanggang Sabado, Nobyembre 4.

Samantala, nakatakda namang lumipad si Marcos sa Tokyo sa susunod na buwan para sa darating na Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Japan Commemorative Summit.

“I very much look forward to receiving President Marcos,” saad naman ni Kishida tungkol dito.