From “Dark Days” to “Golden Age”: The Philippines and Japan’s Path towards Friendship

During Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Manila in November 2023, he declared that Philippines–Japan relations had entered a “golden age”. Although this seems to be driven by a shifting regional security environment, it is the consequence of more than a century of cumulative engagement. Built through exchanges among state leaders, civil society and ordinary citizens across different historical periods, its future will depend on balancing geostrategic priorities with people-centric needs.