President Benigno S. Aquino III conferred the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Datu (Gold Distinction) on Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Makoto Katsura in recognition of his significant efforts to cultivate and support a meaningful engagement between the governments of the Philippines and Japan by means of official visits and dialogs on policy to the mutual benefit of both nations for over three-and-a-half years of his tour of duty in the country.
Mr. Aquino conferred the award on Monday during the ambassador’s farewell courtesy call at the Yellow Room of the Premier Guest House in Malacañang.
The Japanese envoy was accompanied by his spouse, Yasuko Katsura; Motohiko Kato, Minister-Deputy Chief of Mission; Shinsuke Shimizu, Minister-Head of Chancery; Hitoshi Ozawa, Minister-Political.
Also present to witness the conferment rites were Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Ambassador Miguel Perez-Rubio, Chief of the Presidential Protocol and Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs.
During his stint in the country, Katsura has advocated active and productive economic and development cooperation between the two countries to enhance bilateral trade, Japanese investments and Japanese official development assistance in support of the Philippines’ development priorities and for supporting the conclusion and effective implementation of bilateral economic agreements.
The Japanese envoy has also supported the extension of vital Japanese emergency and reconstruction assistance to the country in the wake of national emergencies prompted by severe natural calamities.
Mr. Aquino also commended Katsura for ardently supporting the peace and development initiatives of the government, particularly in Southern Philippines through his advocacy of Japan’s participation in the International Contact Group and International Monitoring Team, as well as of sustained Japanese support for key development projects in Mindanao.
The Japanese diplomat pursued activities that helped nurture friendship, amity and understanding between the Filipino and Japanese peoples.
And it was during Katsura’s term as ambassador that the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa) was ratified.
The Jpepa is a free-trade agreement and bilateral investment treaty between Japan and the Philippines, and is the first bilateral trade treaty which the Philippines has entered into since the Parity Right Agreement of 1946 with the United States.
IN PHOTO -- President Aquino confers the Order of Sikatuna to outgoing Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Makoto Katsura during the farewell call at Malacañang on Monday. --Benhur Arcayan/Malacañang Photo Bureau
