Japan commends PH's 2022 polls; 'incredible exercise of democracy' (Sabong News)

Japan joined the foreign community in commending the Philippines for its conduct of the recently-concluded 2022 national elections, saying it was an “incredible exercise of democracy.” Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa conveyed his congratulatory message on on Tuesday, May 10, a day after the high-stakes election was conducted. “My sincerest congratulations to the Philippines for its conduct of the 2022 national elections,” Kazuhiko said. “Honored to have witnessed first-hand this incredible exercise of democracy,” he added. The Japanese envoy to Manila also said that the Japanese government looks forward to working with the new administration. “I look forward to working with the new administration in bringing Japan-Philippine ties to greater heights,” he said. has also congratulated the Philippines for the high turnout of voters in the 2022 national polls. “Canada congratulates the people of the Philippines for the extremely high turnout of voters, many of them young and for the first time, on the occasion of important national elections reflecting the vibrancy and strength of democracy across the archipelago,” Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Peter MacArthur also said on Twitter on Thursday, May 12. The on May 11, for its part, said that from a technical standpoint, the elections here “have been conducted in line with international standards.” The also lauded the country for “conducting a peaceful, free, and fair democratic elections.” China and the US have both extended their to presumptive president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and vice-presidential frontrunner Sara Duterte. All these countries have also expressed anticipation of working with the Philippines in various areas of corporations to bolster their alliances further. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), on the other hand, welcomed the congratulatory messages from US President Joseph Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. “These reflect a very high regard for the alliance and an affirmation of the Philippines’ vibrant democracy as embodied by our recent national elections, which their Embassy and some visiting US government officials observed first hand,” the Foreign Affairs department said. “In the phone call between the presumptive President and POTUS (Biden) this morning, both sides committed to work together to further strengthen the PH-US alliance and broaden cooperation on issues of mutual interest and concern,” it added.