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MANILA, Philippines — Most Filipinos are satisfied with the Philippines' strategic ties with Japan, with nearly four in five expressing "strong trust," a recent survey showed.
The OCTA Research Group released on Monday, March 16, its survey results on how Filipinos view Philippine-Japan relations. It found that Japan is among the countries Filipinos trust the most, with 70% rating the partnership as "very good."
"Today, Philippine-Japan relations may be at one of the strongest points in the history of the partnership, continuing to broaden and deepen across economic, cultural, and strategic domains," OCTA said.
Only 4% of the 1,200 respondents expressed distrust in Japan, while 17% were unsure whether the Philippines could rely on Japan as a global partner.
According to the poll firm, the favorable perception reflects a "deeply rooted and stable positive sentiment" built on a strong social foundation supporting Philippine-Japan relations.
Trust in Japan (as a country)
Q: How much does the Philippines trust Japan? (OCTA Research)
79%
Strongly trust / somewhat trust
17%
Can't say / undecided
4%
Strongly distrust / somewhat distrust
Source: OCTA Research (fieldwork: 3–11 Dec 2025).
Philippines–Japan relations (current perception)
Q: How would you describe the current relationship between the Philippines and Japan?
Source: OCTA Research (fieldwork: 3–11 Dec 2025).
Variations across regions, age groups
While trust in Japan was high among Filipinos nationwide, Metro Manila and Balance Luzon recorded the highest uncertainty, with one in five respondents unsure. OCTA described this as an "evolving" sentiment despite overall positivity.
Uncertainty was also highest among low-income Filipino households, though still below 20%, with trust prevailing over distrust and uncertainty across all socioeconomic groups.
Meanwhile, middle-aged to senior Filipinos expressed higher trust in Japan compared to younger respondents, who were more uncertain about the Philippines' relationship with Japan. OCTA said this suggests an attitude that may still be developing over time.
"The consistency of these attitudes across regions, socioeconomic groups, and age cohorts suggests that positive perceptions of Japan are deeply embedded rather than episodic, reflecting a stable foundation of goodwill and confidence in the bilateral relationship," the poll firm said.
Trust in Japanese people
Similar to the institutional trust Japan enjoys from Filipinos, the survey found that nearly three in four Filipinos also trust Japanese nationals, with the highest levels of trust reported in Mindanao (87%) and Balance Luzon (73%), including among lower-income groups (73%) and older Filipinos.
Trust in Japanese citizens, however, varied significantly by educational attainment. Vocational respondents expressed the highest trust (91%), followed by high school graduates (77%). Among college and postgraduate respondents, only 60% expressed trust, reflecting what OCTA described as a more "cautious and evaluative stance."
Trust in the Japanese people
Q: How much do you trust the people of Japan?
Source: OCTA Research (fieldwork: 3–11 Dec 2025).
"This pattern suggests that favorable perceptions of Japan are supported not only by institutional or diplomatic factors but also by interpersonal attitudes shaped through cultural exchange, tourism, education, and everyday interactions between Filipinos and Japanese citizens," OCTA said.
The poll firm pointed to Japan's support in infrastructure, transportation, trade and investment, technology transfer, and official development assistance as "visible elements" demonstrating its reliability as an economic partner of the Philippines.
Other areas of cooperation include disaster response, maritime security, capacity-building initiatives, cultural exchanges, and tourism and education programs.
OCTA said the strong public sentiment toward Japan shows that the Philippines' relationship with the country is widely seen as "constructive, reliable, mutually beneficial" and a "durable friendship of choice."
The survey, commissioned by the Japanese embassy and conducted nationally from December 3 to 11, carries a ±3% margin of error at the 95% confidence level.

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