Marcos invites Japan emperor, empress to visit PH

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos speaks during a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the prime minister’s official residence in Tokyo on February 9, 2023. (Photo by Kimimasa MAYAMA / POOL / AFP) TOKYO—President Marcos has secured billions of pesos in investment pledges from Japanese companies as his five-day official visit beginning Wednesday sought to revitalize the Philippines’ partnerships with businesses in the East Asian economic giant. The commitments followed his meeting with top executives of Japanese semiconductor, electronics and wiring harness companies on Thursday morning at the Okura Hotel here. In a statement, Malacañang said more than 10,000 jobs would be generated once the investment pledges materialize, calling it an added boost to the government’s bid to secure more jobs for Filipinos. The total amount of investment commitments will be announced by the President on Friday when the Japanese companies formally sign the letters of intent to invest in the Philippines. Regional hub In his remarks before the Japanese executives, Mr. Marcos said he was pushing the Philippines to attract more investments by becoming a regional hub of excellence in the production of printers, wiring harnesses, which are a key component of automobiles and other electronic goods. During the meeting, government officials and executives of Japanese companies sat down to discuss measures on business expansions and updates on the operations of Japanese companies in the Philippines. Present were representatives of Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Ltd.; Yazaki Corp.; Yokowo Manufacturing of the Philippines; Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.; Brother Industries Ltd.; Ibiden Co. Ltd.; Seiko Epson Corp.; Nidec-Shimpo Corp., and TDK Corp. Boost to seafarers Japanese shipping companies also promised to continue hiring Filipino seafarers to man their vessels as they are “essential” to Japan’s maritime industry. Executives of Japanese shipping companies gave this assurance to the President in a meeting on Thursday, as they thanked him for the Philippine government’s efforts to support initiatives to improve the skills of the country’s seafarers. “Filipino seafarers are essential to Japanese shipping industry. And so we sincerely and strongly hope that there will continue to be a steady supply of professional and well-trained Filipino seafarers to work alongside us,” said Junichiro Ikeda, president of the Japanese Shipowners’ Association (JSA) and chair of Mitsui OSK Lines. Filipino seafarers account for about 75 percent of the crew of Japanese ocean-going vessels, while an average of 6,600 Filipino seafarers are deployed annually to vessels with the Japanese Flag of Registry in the past 10 years............ Read more: https://globalnation.inquirer.net/?p=210635#ixzz7sru0ga3h

Kim Ju Ae, daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, attends a military parade to mark the 75th founding anniversary of North Korea’s army, at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea February 8, 2023, in this photo released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). (KCNA via REUTERS) Daughter of North Korean leader Kim shares spotlight with nuclear missiles SEOUL – Sharing drinks, watching missile parades and dining with senior army commanders, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s daughter was centre stage with her father and mother at major military events this week. Her presence has added to speculation that she could be in line for a leadership position – maybe even the top job itself – in the nuclear-armed country’s hereditary dictatorship. She appeared on Wednesday alongside Kim at a massive military parade, where state media showed her marching with him and her mother, Ri Sol Ju, at the head of military commanders, sharing juice drinks and speaking in each other’s ears as they observed the events. A day earlier, Ri and the daughter were once again with Kim as he wined, dined and flattered military commanders at a lavish banquet commemorating this week’s army foundation anniversary. “For all we know this is just him doting on a favourite child, but the more that she shows up, the more it seems that she’s either being fully groomed for leadership or at least floated as a possibility,” said Mason Richey, a professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul. What is more clear is a message that the country’s nuclear weapons are for posterity, and she’s a part of that, he added. “So another way of signalling that denuclearisation is totally off the table,” Richey said. The girl has not been named in state media since she was first shown attending a missile launch with Kim last year, but South Korean intelligence officials believe she is the daughter identified as Ju Ae by former American basketball player Dennis Rodman, who spent time with Kim’s family in 2013. Rachel Minyoung Lee, a North Korea expert with the Vienna-based Open Nuclear Network, said it is premature to conclude that Ju Ae is being prepared for leadership, but agreed that her presence at exclusively military events suggests the main purpose is to underscore the importance of continued weapons development for the security of future generations. “The North Korean leadership probably has to make the case for why the country has to keep investing in national defence in spite of the deteriorating economic conditions,” Lee said. “And no propaganda can be more potent than the leader’s young daughter to convey that message.” Read more: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1727968/daughter-of-north-korean-leader-kim-shares-spotlight-with-nuclear-missiles#ixzz7ssL34kzf