MANILA, Philippines: The Philippines, Japan and the US met in Tokyo to lay the groundwork for the "historic" summit in Washington DC in April that would focus on "strategic and critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, energy, critical minerals, security and defense cooperation, including maritime security, among others."

Foreign Undersecretary for Bilateral and Asean Affairs Maria Theresa Lazaro, Japanese Vice Minister Okano Masataka, and Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell exchanged ideas and information on "how trilateral cooperation can add value to existing and prospective areas of work, especially in the economy and economic security, to amplify and sustain the momentum of growth in the Philippines and the resilience of the Filipino people."

The three parties attended the Inaugural Session of the Trilateral Vice Foreign Ministers Meeting in Tokyo on Thursday, March 21, 2024.

In her opening statement, Lazaro recalled that the desire of the leaders and foreign ministers to elevate the Philippines-Japan-US partnership into one that has "the peace, stability, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific at the forefront" was the basis of the trilateral process.

She observed that the trilateral meeting was a "natural progression" of the three parties' existing robust and excellent bilateral cooperation, and their enduring friendship and alliance.

She highlighted the "shared values, shared interests, and shared respect of the three parties for the rules-based international order, whose partnership rests upon a solid foundation of trust, mutual respect, and understanding."

The three parties agreed to lay the foundation for a successful and productive Inaugural Trilateral Summit in Washington DC in April, which Lazaro said would be a "historic" meeting.