A PHILIPPINE congressional delegation led by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Tuesday secured a firm commitment from top Japanese parliamentarians to facilitate the hiring of more Filipinos by the Japanese government, particularly in crucial sectors such as elderly care.

This commitment was made during high-level discussions with National Diet of Japan Speaker Fukushiro Nukaga and Vice-Speaker Banri Kaieda at the Tokyo parliamentary building before noon Tuesday.

During the meeting, Vice-Speaker Kaieda acknowledged Japan’s demographic challenges and the valuable contributions of Filipino workers.

“Japan is facing a decrease in population, and in this regard, Japan truly appreciates the Filipinos working here, especially elderly care workers,” said Vice-Speaker Kaieda.

“We are looking forward to welcoming more Filipinos to work in Japan,” he added.

Responding to this commitment, Speaker Romualdez emphasized the potential for enhanced cooperation between the two nations.

“The Philippines has a growing population, so we are more than happy for our people to come and work here after receiving the appropriate training,” he stated.

Speaker Romualdez said this will enable Filipino workers to integrate into society and benefit from the best practices and advanced technology that Japan has to offer.

He continued, “It creates an ideal environment for Japan to continue investing in the Philippines, not just in human resources but in Japanese-trained human resources, which will further promote economic cooperation between our countries.”

In the same meeting, Speaker Nukaga committed to continued cooperation to help uplift the Philippine economy, noting the presence of 1,400 Japanese companies operating in the Philippines.

“I will continue to cooperate with the Philippines to help uplift the Philippine economy,” he said.

Speaker Romualdez expressed profound gratitude for Japan’s unwavering support for over 300,000 Filipinos residing in Japan.

“We appreciate your efforts in securing, nurturing, and accepting our Filipinos who are in Japan,” Speaker Romualdez said, citing the importance of these diplomatic efforts in fostering a strong community and ensuring the welfare of Filipino expatriates.

Of the more than 300,000 Filipinos in Japan, around 164,000 of them work in sectors such as caregiving, agriculture, hospitality, and manufacturing.

Speaker Romualdez also underscored Japan’s leading role in providing economic assistance through official development fund (ODA), which is important in the Philippines’ development and disaster response.

“We thank the government and the people of Japan for all the support and assistance through the [ODA] and now through our official security agreement,” he said.

“As the number one provider of [ODA], you have helped us in our economy in many aspects, and you have also been there for us in times of disaster and calamities,” Speaker Romualdez said.

The continuous support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) was also acknowledged, with Speaker Romualdez noting its contributions to the Philippines’ economic landscape.

He said the high-level exchanges and visits by respective heads of state, including the historic signing of the trilateral agreement in Washington D.C. involving Japan, the Philippines, and the United States, further underscored the strengthening alliance.

“We are happy because this is a great lead-up to the celebration of 70 years of our diplomatic relations in 2026,” Speaker Romualdez said.

In response, Speaker Nukaga pointed out the enduring and robust relationship between Japan and the Philippines.

“Japan and the Philippines have built a very good bilateral relationship,” Nukaga said, noting the importance of collaboration to counter authoritarian regimes and maintain the international order.

“Japan and the Philippines, both island nations, have a strong foundation to build good relations and friendly bridges,” he added.

Nukaga acknowledged the significant presence of Filipinos in Japan, particularly in his hometown of Ibaraki Prefecture.

“Ibaraki Prefecture’s Sakuragawa City and Sakai Town have sister city relations with Bacoor and Marikina, respectively, leading to about 7,000 Filipinos working in the prefecture. I would like to promote more local exchanges between our local authorities,” he vowed.

Reflecting on his previous roles, Nukaga mentioned his tenure as the chair of the parliamentary group for JICA and as the Minister of Finance, where he led efforts to increase JICA’s budget.

He noted that the Philippines is the third-largest recipient of Japan’s ODA, following India and Bangladesh.

Discussing the trilateral meetings between Japan, the Philippines, and the United States, Nukaga stressed the importance of these alliances.

“The alliance between Japan and the United States is strong and built on trust. It is very important to promote cooperation among our three countries to ensure safe maritime transport and the safety and stability of the region,” he said.

Nukaga also noted the recent joint maritime exercise involving Japan, the U.S., the Philippines, and Canada as a testament to this cooperation.

Speaker Nukaga emphasized the foundational principles of security, democracy, and the rule of law.

“The foundation of security, protecting and upholding democracy, and securing the international order is based on the rule of law,” he asserted.

Also present during the meeting were Japan Vice-Speaker Banri Kaieda, Japan House of Representatives International Affairs Department Director General Yamamoto Hironori, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe, senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker David “Jay-jay” Suarez, House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Zaldy Co, Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, House Secretary General Reginald “Reggie” S. Velasco, House Sergeant-at-Arms retired PMGEN Napoleon C. Taas, and other House officials.