A Friendship Woven in Trust: The Rotary Club of Manila’s Meeting with Japan’s Minister Kazuhiro Nomura

AT the stately halls of the Manila Polo Club, the Rotary Club of Manila—the oldest and most storied Rotary organization in Asia—gathered once more for its 9th Weekly Membership Meeting of Rotary Year 2025-2026. On this particular Thursday, October 9, the Club’s distinguished roster of business and civic leaders assembled under the steady hand of President Raoul C. Creencia and moderator Past District Governor Vicente J. “Vince” Carlos. The air was imbued with ceremony, tradition, and fellowship—a reflection of Rotary’s century-old ethos of “Service Above Self.”

The meeting’s tapestry of rituals, from invocation to fellowship song, carried the familiar cadence of duty and devotion. The RCM World-Famous Music Chorale rendered the Rotary Hymn and the birthday medley with melodic grace, while returning voices from past presidents and star Rotarians filled the room with camaraderie and reverence. Reports from PD Phillip Ong on the art exhibit and from Rtn J.T. Warring on the water project reaffirmed RCM’s enduring commitment to culture and humanity. When PE Reginald T. “Reggie” Yu—soon to take his own turn at the helm—announced the opening of nominations for the RCManila Foundation’s Board of Trustees, the rhythm of leadership renewal pulsed once again through the Club’s venerable veins.

A New Member and a New Chapter

In the spirit of continuity and growth, PP Eusebio “Ebot” Tan presented the newest addition to the Rotary fold: Hiroyasu Kanda, Managing Director and Country Head of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation’s Manila Branch. Proposed by Rotarian Yasushi Iwata, Kanda’s induction by President Creencia symbolized not only an expansion of membership but also the strengthening of the Philippine-Japanese connection—a foreshadowing of the afternoon’s greater theme.

An Unexpected Change in Representation

Originally, the day was to feature His Excellency Kazuya Endo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Philippines. Yet diplomacy, like life, often changes course. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Ambassador Endo’s duties called him elsewhere. In his stead came a dignitary of equal distinction—Minister Kazuhiro Nomura, who represented the Embassy of Japan with quiet authority and grace.

Taking the podium with measured composure, Minister Nomura conveyed the Ambassador’s regrets and good wishes, his voice tempered by both formality and empathy. He extended Japan’s condolences for the victims of the recent earthquake in Cebu, citing direct offers of aid from Prime Minister Ishiba, Foreign Minister Iwaya, and Defense Minister Nakatani. The Japan Self-Defense Forces, he said, were already mobilized to deliver relief goods to the affected regions—proof that Japan’s friendship with the Philippines is not confined to diplomatic halls but lives in deeds of compassion.

Under the Shared Moon

Minister Nomura’s address began not with policy but with poetry. He greeted the assembly with a warm “Magandang Tanghali sa inyong lahat. Konnichiwa. Good afternoon.” Then, in a gesture of cultural kinship, he drew a parallel between the Filipino-Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival and Japan’s own Tsukimi—the traditional moon-viewing celebration that honors prosperity and gratitude beneath the autumn sky.

“As two celebrations inspired by the same moon,” he mused, “I see an ideal symbol for Japan and the Philippines—two countries on different shores bound by a shared love of freedom, democracy, and, of course, festive snacks.” Laughter and applause rippled through the crowd. Yet behind the levity lay a deeper truth: that friendship, like moonlight, bridges distance effortlessly.

A Friendship Woven in Trust

The heart of Nomura’s message was aptly encapsulated in one poetic phrase—a friendship woven in trust. From defense cooperation to cultural exchange, every strand of the Japan-Philippines relationship, he said, contributes to a larger tapestry of peace and progress. He cited the recently ratified Reciprocal Access Agreement—the first such defense pact Japan has ever entered into with a Southeast Asian nation—as a landmark in mutual confidence. It would enable joint military exercises and greater logistical support between the two allies. Through Japan’s Official Security Assistance (OSA) program, the Philippines became not only the first recipient but also the only nation to receive aid for two consecutive years, including coastal radar systems and air-surveillance technology. “Together,” Nomura emphasized, “we can realize a free and open Indo-Pacific anchored on stability and the rule of law.”

Bridges of Prosperity

If defense formed one pillar of partnership, economic cooperation formed the other. Nomura recalled that Japan’s Official Development Assistance has underpinned Philippine progress since the 1960s—from the iconic San Juanico Bridge to the Mactan Bridge, and now to the Metro Manila Subway and North-South Commuter Railway. “Through secure infrastructure,” he said, “Japan proudly invests in the engines that drive Filipino commerce and industry.”

Japan, he noted with modest pride, remains the Philippines’ largest ODA source, a commitment measured not merely by sentiment but by statistics. Thousands of Filipinos now work in Japan—227,000 in total, including the seafarers who make up 70 percent of Japanese merchant-marine crews. In the Philippines, over 800 Japanese-affiliated companies operate under the PEZA umbrella—the largest among all foreign investors. “Despite such trends,” he added, “this may only be a prelude to greater things.”

People-to-People Harmony

More than figures, however, it is the human connection that sustains bilateral warmth. In 2024 alone, Japan welcomed 819,000 Filipino tourists, a record high. The steady rhythm of visits by Japanese ministers and Prime Minister Ishiba himself—matched by President Marcos Jr.’s trip to Osaka for Expo 2025—underscored what Nomura called “threads forming a rich tapestry.” At the forthcoming 70th anniversary of Japan-Philippines diplomatic normalization in 2026, that tapestry will unfurl under the theme “Weaving the Future Together—Peace, Prosperity, and Possibility.” Each strand, Nomura said, represents a moment of shared purpose and mutual respect.

Rotary’s Role in the Weave

Turning toward his hosts, the Minister saluted the Rotary Club of Manila for embodying the spirit of fellowship that both nations cherish. He praised the Club’s recent outreach to its Osaka East sister chapter and its unwavering commitment to humanitarian service, especially its efforts to aid victims of the Cebu earthquake. “As Asia’s oldest Rotary club,” he said, “few groups in the country can offer a legacy of service as rich as yours. As our countries collaborate deeper in disaster management and the economy, we are fortunate to have a friendship as enduring as RCM itself.”

A Closing of Hands, Not Curtains

When Minister Nomura concluded his speech with the words “Maraming Salamat po and Mabuhay kayo RCM,” the applause that followed felt less like protocol and more like gratitude—an acknowledgment of shared journeys across oceans and generations.

Open Forum

Minister Yokota engaged in an interactive conversation with PD Beda Fajardo, PD Amading Valdez, PD Phil Ong, PVP Joel Valdes, PD Abe Pascual, and Ms. Malou Bartolome of Business Mirror.

President Creencia presented a certificate of appreciation, symbolizing the Club’s esteem for Japan’s continuing partnership. Around the hall, conversations turned from policy to fellowship, from formalities to the easy laughter of old and new friends. The meeting adjourned not in mere closure but in quiet affirmation: that in the long chronicle of Rotary and diplomacy, some friendships do not simply endure—they grow richer with time, like silk continuously rewoven by mutual trust.

Author’s Note: This article celebrates the October 9, 2025 meeting of the Rotary Club of Manila and the address delivered by Japan’s Minister Kazuhiro Nomura on behalf of Ambassador Kazuya Endo—a reaffirmation that the ties between the Philippines and Japan remain a luminous thread in the ever-expanding fabric of peace, prosperity, and friendship.