(VOVworld) - The Philippine’s President Benigno Aquino III left Manila on Tuesday for a visit to Japan where he met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and addressed a peace conference.

In his departure message, Aquino said he would discuss ways to achieve a lasting peace and development in southern Philippines with Abe.He thanked Japan for its assistance to the peace process resulting in the signing of a comprehensive peace deal between the Philippines government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the largest Muslim rebel group in the country. After his meeting with Abe in Tokyo, Aquino proceeded to Hiroshima to address the peace conference initiated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. The topic of the conference was the implementation of the peace deal between the Philippines government and the MILF. Aquino added that both sides shared in the success of signing the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro and the next step towards the achievement of peace in Mindanao.

Aquino was scheduled to return to Manila the same day. This was the fifth of Aquino’s visits to Japan since he assumed office in 2010. Japan is one of the two strategic partners of the Philippines apart from the US.