Aquino meets Japan envoy; JPEPA not discussed

Japan Ambassador Makoto Katsura paid a courtesy call to president-apparent Sen. Benigno Aquino III on Thursday, but the two did not talk about the controversial Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement or JPEPA. "We did not discuss the JPEPA," Katsura told reporters shortly after the meeting in Aquino’s home on Times Street in Quezon City. Aquino opposed the Senate's ratification of the agreement in 2009. Under JPEPA, 95 percent of Philippine exports to Japan will have zero duties, with the tariffs on most industrial goods to be removed 10 years after the agreement is in place. The review of JPEPA is among his legislative concerns, Aquino said during the election campaign, criticizing the deal ─ the terms of which were negotiated by the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and ratified by the Senate ─ for its supposed one-sidedness in favor of Japan. What they did talk about was the "splendid cooperation" between Japan and the Philippines, Aquino said. He and Katsura also talked about Japan's anti-corruption measures, the senator noted, saying there is too much red tape and a lack of infrastructure in the Philippines. They talked about the Mindanao peace problem, Aquino added. But Katsura said he went to Times Street on another note. "I came here to congratulate the senator. I expressed my heartfelt congratulations," Katsura said. Katsura is the third foreign dignitary to acknowledge Aquino’s superior lead in the ongoing count of election returns from the May 10 polls. Earlier in the day, Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao paid the senator a courtesy call, while US Ambassador Harry Thomas visited him last week. –VS, GMANews.TV