President Aquino leaves for 4-day visit to Japan

President Benigno Aquino III left Sunday morning for a four-day visit to Japan, with a meeting with the Filipino community as one of his first activities during his stay there. Security was tight at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 (NAIA-2) for Aquino's 9 a.m. flight, radio dzBB's Mao dela Cruz reported. Aquino, before boarding a chartered Philippine Airlines (PR-001) flight, said he will seek to learn from Japan how it coped with disaster, adding he will also convey the Philippines' sympathies with the Japanese people for their loss from the March 11 quake and tsunami. He also said he will seek more business and investments from Japan. In Tokyo, Aquino is to meet with members of the Filipino community shortly after his arrival at the Haneda Airport to jump-start his four-day official working visit. A Malacañang statement said Aquino was expected to arrive in Japan at 2:25 p.m. Sunday. Joining him are Secretaries Albert del Rosario (Foreign Affairs), Herminio Coloma, Jr. (Presidential Communications Operations Office), Cesar Purisima (Finance), Manuel Roxas II (Transportation), Gregory Domingo (Trade), and Jose Rene Almendras (Energy). For Sunday's event, Aquino is to proceed to the Japan Education Center at 3:50 p.m. for his meeting with the Filipino community. He will be shown an audiovisual presentation on the humanitarian efforts rendered by the Philippine Embassy and the Filipino community when they assisted the victims of the March 11 Sendai earthquake and tsunami. Filipino-Japanese children will present Aquino with a box of ‘tanzaku’ (paper strips). On Monday, Aquino is to meet with survivors of the March 11 quake and tsunami who are sheltered at the Kadonowaki Evacuation Center in Ishinomaki City in Miyagi Prefecture. Aquino is expected to arrive at the Ishinomaki City Hall by 11 a.m. Monday, and meet with Ishinomaki City Mayor Hiroshima Kameyama. The Palace said there will be a turnover of the Philippine government’s donation for local survivors. Following the turnover, Aquino will be shown around the Kadonowaki evacuation site by the local officials of Ishinomaki City. He may interact with some of the Japanese evacuees there with the help of an interpreter. Ishinomaki City is one of the hardest-hit areas in the March 11 quake and tsunami. Meanwhile, another Filipino community gathering awaits Aquino at the Ishinomaki Catholic Church. There, he will deliver some remarks after Father Takashi Aizu and a FilCom leader give their respective messages. Wrapping up Aquino's activities for Monday is a welcome dinner hosted by Marubeni Corp., in preparation for a very hectic schedule the next day. Aquino’s bilateral summit meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda will take place on Tuesday along with business meetings with top executives of various Japanese firms. — LBG, GMA News