President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. witnesses the conferment of The Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun to former Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. by the Government of Japan thru His Excellency Kazuhiko Koshikawa, Ambassador of Japan to the Philippines, in a ceremony at the Ceremonial Hall in Malacañang Palace on November 25, 2022.
The President recognizes Villar’s significant contribution to the current strong bilateral relations between the Philippines and Japan. He also expresses willingness to explore different areas of cooperation with Japan and affirms his commitment to sustain the trajectory of diplomatic ties between the two nations.
The Order of the Rising Sun is a Japanese decoration of honor awarded by the Government of Japan to individuals from both Japan and abroad who have made distinguished achievements in their field, as well as meritorious service and contributions to the advancement of Japan in a variety of areas except military service.
During Villar’s term as Senate President, the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) and the ‘Protocol Amending the Convention Between Japan and the Republic of the Philippines for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Income Taxes’ were ratified in October and September 2008.
He also supported the ratification of the ‘Agreement on Technical Cooperation Between the Government of Japan and the Republic of the Philippines’ that was adopted into a Senate Resolution in March 2011.
