Mylene J. Garcia-Albano, Ambassador of the Philippines to Japan, on seventy years of partnership and what a fast-changing region is asking of the seventy still to come

On Roppongi’s diplomatic row, the Philippine Embassy serves a community of more than 340,000 Filipinos living and working across Japan.

Ambassador Mylene J. Garcia-Albano took up the post in December 2022 as the Philippines’ first female Ambassador to Japan. Her tenure has coincided with a run of concrete milestones: a Reciprocal Access Agreement in 2024, an Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement in 2026, and the 20th anniversary of the Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, alongside Japan’s continuing role as the Philippines’ top partner in official development assistance.

Bridges spoke with the Ambassador about the milestones that built the relationship, the community exchange that sustains it, and the initiatives carrying it into its next chapter.

Bridges: Seventy years since normalization, what do you consider the milestones that have done the most to shape where the relationship stands?

Ambassador Garcia-Albano: Since the normalization of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Japan in 1956, our friendship has transformed from post-war reconciliation to one of the most dynamic strategic partnerships in the Indo-Pacific.

With our ties elevated into a Strengthened Strategic Partnership since 2015, the Philippines and Japan have embarked on a fruitful journey towards regional peace and stability by diversifying areas of functional cooperation that benefit our societies.

We are witnessing the expansion of political-security cooperation, which is guided by our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific and a rules-based international order.

Among others, the two countries have entered into a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) in 2024 and an Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) in 2026, which set the strong foundations for robust and long-term defense cooperation.

The Philippines has also been a beneficiary of three official security assistance (OSA) grants from Japan for the enhancement of its defense capabilities, underscoring our common goal of maintaining international peace, stability and security.

On the economic front, the Philippines and Japan have come a long way in cultivating opportunities for sustainable and inclusive prosperity.

As we also mark the 20th anniversary of the Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (PJEPA) this year, we have made significant progress in trade and investment across key sectors, such as agri-industries, manufacturing, infrastructure, electronics, and services.

We look forward to working with Japan to upgrade PJEPA, the cornerstone of our economic relations, to better reflect and respond to the rapidly evolving economic security considerations and the changing business landscape. In addition, the high volume of visitor arrivals between our countries has contributed to the revitalization of our tourism industries.

With Japan as the Philippines’ top partner in official development assistance (ODA), our partnership has produced tangible results in improving livelihoods and realizing the full potential of communities, particularly in health, infrastructure, agriculture, education, and disaster risk management and response.

With this, the Philippines has expressed its readiness to support Japan as a partner in triangular frameworks for technical and development cooperation projects in the Pacific.

People-to-people exchange has long been a cornerstone of Philippines–Japan relations, from business and education to culture and tourism. How is the Embassy working to deepen these human connections, particularly among the youth, professionals, and local communities?

People-to-people exchanges are at the heart of Philippines-Japan relations, with over 340,000 Filipinos residing in Japan, many of them enjoying strong ties with local communities and raising families with Japanese nationals.

In nurturing these ties, the Philippine Embassy actively supports the needs of the Filipino community through various initiatives, including consular missions, assistance-to-nationals services, and labor and social welfare programs.

With the growing diversity in the backgrounds of overseas Filipinos in Japan, we are truly proud of their community spirit in celebrating the Philippines-Japan friendship through the activities of community organizations representing students, professionals, women and children, and faith-based groups.

To demonstrate, the Embassy regularly supports the consolidated efforts of Filipino community groups in organizing the Philippine Festival Tokyo every November, which is the largest cultural showcase of Filipino culture in Japan.

Beyond official diplomacy, embassies play a crucial role in fostering long-term partnerships. What concrete initiatives is the Embassy advancing this anniversary year to strengthen cooperation in the years ahead?

We are celebrating the anniversary year with the theme “Weaving the Future Together: Peace, Prosperity, Possibilities”, which not only encapsulates the breadth and depth of the Philippines-Japan strategic partnership, but also sets the tone of our bond’s future direction for the next 70 years and beyond.

Our calendar will be filled with various activities demonstrating the full potential of our friendship, such as policy dialogues, film festivals, community events, and cultural exchanges, which we will announce soon through our official channels.

Among our key events for the anniversary, the Embassy will be organizing a Track 1.5 symposium that will facilitate meaningful exchanges among policy experts, government representatives, and researchers, on the future of Philippines-Japan relations, as well as key areas where our countries can jointly innovate in response to opportunities and challenges ahead.

Further, the Embassy is undertaking a long-term initiative to engage Japan’s prefectures within its consular jurisdiction to share best practices with local government partners in extending assistance to Filipino residents living in Japan and advocating multicultural coexistence with local communities.

As symbolized in the Philippines-Japan 70th anniversary logo – featuring the intertwining of abaca (Manila hemp) rope and shimenawa rope, the future of our people is becoming more interconnected, which in turn creates a strong shared responsibility and commitment to inclusive, equitable and cohesive societies.