Highlights of 2026 US-Philippines Society Trilateral Program in Tokyo

On February 12, US-Philippines Society Co-Chairs Ambassador John Negroponte and Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala led a delegation of board members to Tokyo to discuss opportunities for trilateral U.S.-Philippines-Japan cooperation. The group met with officials at the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), and participated in a trilateral dialogue organized in partnership with Sasakawa USA and Japan’s National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS).

The group also met with Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene Garcia-Albano and senior officials from the U.S. and Australian embassies, and attended a reception hosted by Ambassador Garcia-Albano.

U.S. AND PHILIPPINES DIPLOMATIC BRIEFING

The US-Philippines Society Tokyo program began with a breakfast roundtable with U.S. Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Chris Allison (U.S. Embassy in Tokyo), Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene Garcia-Albano, and Australian Embassy Minister Counselor Stuart Watts, Feb 12, 2026, Okura Hotel Tokyo. Photo courtesy of the Philippine Embassy in Japan.

Feb 12 Breakfast Roundtable, Okura Tokyo. 

JAPAN’S FOREIGN POLICY IN THE PHILIPPINES AND SOUTHEAST ASIA

The US-Philippines Society delegation call at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) with Shingo Miyamoto (center), Director-General for Southeast and Southwest Asia, Feb 12. Organized by US-Philippines Society Senior Advisor Brian Harding. Photo courtesy of Ayala Corporation.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). Photo credit: Ayala Corporation

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY IN JAPAN EVENING RECEPTION

Co-chair Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala
International House of Japan

Co-chair Ambassador John Negroponte
International House of Japan

Host Amb Mylene Garcia-Albano welcomed the delegation to an evening reception, Feb 12, International House of Japan. Photo credit: Philippine Embassy in Tokyo

TRILATERAL SECURITY AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION MEETING WITH GRIPS

The visit was the first-ever USPHS engagement outside the United States and the Philippines, and was undertaken in recognition of the unique potential for trilateral cooperation with Japan to be an anchor for regional security and economic growth. Key topics of discussion on economic cooperation included the Luzon Economic Corridor, shipbuilding, workforce development, secure supply chains, semiconductors, nuclear energy, and critical minerals. On security cooperation, discussion focused on maritime security and aligning Japanese security and development assistance with the implementation of EDCA and U.S. military assistance.

USPHS looks forward to working with our partners to build on the foundation established in Tokyo, most immediately through a forum on trilateral cooperation in Washington, D.C.

Trilateral program group photo at GRIPS

The afternoon session exchanges explored Japan-U.S.-Philippines security and economic cooperation led by US-Philippines Society co-chairs Amb John Negroponte and Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala and speakers Amb Thomas Hubbard, Amb Paul Jones, Greg Poling (CSIS, AMTI), MGen Restituto Padilla (PTC) along with GRIPS Professor Dr. Aizawa Nobuhiro, GRIPS President emeritus Takashi Shiraishi, GRIPS Director (Maritime) Yuzuke Tagaki, and Sasakawa USA President Satohiro Akimoto. Eric John, President of American Chamber of Commerce in Japan and Boeing President Japan, Christopher LaFleur (McLarty Associates) and former DTI Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba provided business and investment perspective, Feb 12, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) Tokyo.