The Philippines’ BCDA held investment forums in Osaka and Tokyo to present Japanese companies with investment opportunities in the Luzon Economic Corridor. The LEC is positioned as a framework connecting ports, logistics and manufacturing in the north.
The Philippines’ BCDA held the “Philippines Investment Forum Japan” in Osaka on 1 October and Tokyo on 5 October, presenting Japanese companies with investment opportunities in the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC). The two meetings were said to have attracted more than 200 participants in total, mainly Japanese business leaders and executives.
The LEC was launched in 2024 under the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII). It connects Subic-Clark in the northern Philippines, Metro Manila and Batangas in the south, linking port, logistics, financial and manufacturing functions to attract investment and create jobs.
In September, the first LEC investment forum was held jointly with the US and Japan. President Marcos positioned the LEC as “a national strategy for organizing growth,” while the US Trade and Development Agency’s deputy director described it as a means of strengthening regional and global supply chains.
Ambassador Ohno of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines noted that the LEC is compatible with Japan’s FOIP vision and would help promote high-quality infrastructure development emphasizing transparency, sustainability and the rule of law. Participants likewise commented that additional investment in existing businesses was important.