Japan-Philippines Relations

Can You Legally Carry a Gun in Bangsamoro? — The Law on Unregistered Firearms, Security Companies, and Private Armies (Part 3 of 4)

Unregistered firearms are illegal in BARMM just as elsewhere in the Philippines. We explain the rules on gun registration, security company staffing caps, and why politicians' and clans' private armies are not legally permitted.

2026年8月10日

Intergovernmental AidJapan-Philippines RelationsPhilippine NewsPolitics

Building the “Okinawa Brand” in the Philippines — The Story of PUOA’s Partnership with the Okinawa Industry Promotion Public Corporation

How the Philippine Uchinanchu Okinawa Association (PUOA) and the Okinawa Industry Promotion Public Corporation have partnered on food festivals, cultural events, and diplomatic outreach to build the Okinawa brand in the Philippines.

2026年8月10日

Cultural ExchangeJapanese CommunityOkinawaPhilippine NewsSociety

The Narita Summit Between the President and the MILF Chairman — How Japan Supported the Peace Negotiations (Part 3 of 4)

How Japan's development work through J-BIRD and the IMT earned it the trust to help arrange the historic 2011 Narita meeting between President Aquino and MILF Chairman Murad — a turning point on the road to the 2014 Bangsamoro peace agreement.

2026年8月10日

Embassy of JapanIntergovernmental AidJapan-Philippines RelationsPhilippine NewsPolitics

Does Bangsamoro Have Its Own Police, Military, or Currency? — Where Authority Over Land and Currency Sits with the Central Government (Part 2 of 4)

Does BARMM have its own police or military? We explain the roles of PRO BAR and the armed forces, the Torrens land registration system, and the circulation of currencies other than the Philippine peso, covering the region's security, land, and currency systems.

2026年8月9日

Intergovernmental AidJapan-Philippines RelationsPhilippine NewsPoliticsSociety

The Full Story of the ‘Luffy Group’ Case — A Violent Crime Ring That Exploited the Philippines as Its Base

How a Japan-based crime ring used a Philippine immigration detention facility to direct robberies and a fatal home invasion in Japan, and how Japan-Philippines cooperation led to the suspects' deportation and trial.

2026年8月9日

Japan-Philippines RelationsSociety

Sending Development Experts to the Ceasefire Monitoring Team — J-BIRD and “Unarmed Peacekeeping” (Part 2)

Why did Japan send JICA development experts, not soldiers, to the Mindanao International Monitoring Team? An explanation of J-BIRD, the peace dividend, support through schools, wells, and farm roads, and why Japan didn't withdraw even after the 2008 collapse of the peace talks.

2026年8月9日

Embassy of JapanIntergovernmental AidJapan-Philippines RelationsOkinawaPhilippine NewsPoliticsSeries

Why Did Japan Engage in the Bangsamoro Peace Process? — From the MNLF Peace Agreement to the Launch of J-BIRD (Part 1)

Why did the Japanese government and JICA become involved in the Bangsamoro peace process in the southern Philippines? A timeline covering the MNLF peace agreement, human security, Sadako Ogata, the Mindanao Support Package, and the launch of J-BIRD.

2026年8月8日

Embassy of JapanIntergovernmental AidJapan-Philippines RelationsOkinawaPhilippine NewsPoliticsSeries

What Is the Bangsamoro Autonomous Government? — How It Differs from an Ordinary Philippine Local Government (Part 1 of 4)

How does BARMM differ from an ordinary local government? A detailed look at the Bangsamoro Autonomous Government's fiscal system, including the 75% national tax-sharing exception, the Annual Block Grant, and the 50-billion-peso Special Development Fund.

2026年8月8日

Intergovernmental AidJapan-Philippines RelationsPhilippine NewsPolitics

New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra Makes Manila Debut — Concert Marking 70th Anniversary of Japan-Philippines Diplomatic Relations

The New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra performed in Manila for the first time on June 24, 2026, marking the 70th anniversary of Japan-Philippines diplomatic relations with a concert featuring violinist Mayuko Kamio and conductor Tetsuji Honna.

2026年8月6日

Cultural ExchangeJapan-Philippines RelationsJapanese Community

BARMM’s First Parliamentary Election

The Philippine government will deploy 8,299 police officers for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region's first parliamentary election on September 14, 2026, after 12 arrests for gun-ban violations during the campaign period.

2026年8月5日

Embassy of JapanIntergovernmental AidJapan-Philippines RelationsPhilippine NewsPolitics