Abe’s Soft Power Play Wins Him Breakfast in Duterte’s Home
- Japan leader is the first leader to visit Duterte’s bungalow
- Abe pledged 1-trillion-yen in loans, investment over 5 years
Abe meets Duterte in the Philippines on Jan. 12.
Photographer: The Asahi Shimbun via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sat for breakfast Friday at the modest home of Rodrigo Duterte in Davao, making him the first national leader to set foot in the Philippine president’s green bungalow.
Duterte served local rice cakes and mung bean soup to Abe. After breakfast, the two leaders met with business executives, and Duterte named an endemic Philippine eagle "Sakura" (cherry blossom) in honor of Abe.