(NI CHRISTIAN  DALE)

LABING-ANIM na opisyal ng pamahalaan ang bitbit ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa pagdalo nito sa International Conference on the Future of Asia sa Japan.

Ito’y pagtitipon ng mga lider ng Asia-Pacific Region kung saan siya ay nakatakdang magtalumpati.

Kasama sa kanyang official delegation sina Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, Secretary to the Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, Secretary to the Cabinet, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Information and Communications Technology Secretary Eliseo Rio, Jr., National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Ernesto Pernia, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Jose Ruperto Martin Andanar, National Security Adviser and Director-General of the National Security Council Secretary Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., Presidential spokesperson and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Secretary Salvador Panelo at Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Carlito Galvez, Jr.

Sa biyaheng ito ng Pangulo ay inaasahan ng magkakaroon ng bilateral meeting si Duterte at Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Nauna nang sinabi ni Panelo na ang pagtungo ng Pangulo sa Japan ay lalong magpapatatag sa relasyon ng dalawang bansa partikular sa larangan ng kalakalan.

Matatandaang unang bumisita si Duterte sa Japan noong Oktubre 2016 at sumunod noong 2017.