2024/01/19 / Last updated : 2024/01/19 東京支店 blog

GOVERNOR TAMAKI WILL VISIT THE PHILIPPINES NEXT MONTH TO INSPECT THE SITE OF A FORMER US MILITARY BASE

Governor Tamaki has announced that he will visit the Philippines next month to inspect the development status of a former US military base.
In the future, we hope to use this as a reference for the use of the site of the base that will be returned to Okinawa.

At his regular press conference on the 18th, Governor Tamaki announced that he would visit the Philippines and Singapore from the 2nd to the 6th of next month. He said that the Philippines is “providing great economic benefits, including attracting investment from all over the world.” I would like to inspect the development status of the former US military base site in the Philippines.”

Specifically, we are considering inspecting the development status of the former Clark Air Force Base, which was returned from the U.S. military and has become a special economic zone, or the former Subic Naval Base, and we are considering inspecting the development status of the former Subic Naval Base, which is being returned to Okinawa in the future. We would like to use it as a reference for the use of the former site.

According to the prefecture, this is the first time in about 20 years that a governor has visited the site of a former base in the Philippines, since then-Governor Inamine visited the site of the Subic Naval Base in September 2003.

Governor Tamaki also stated, “As part of our regional diplomacy, I will be visiting Asia directly this time.”During the period, he will interact with prefectural associations in various places, and will also visit local companies related to tourism and logistics. The aim is to revitalize economic exchanges between Okinawa and ASEAN countries.